Refuel, Restore, Realign
by JennaGill
Summary: Summary: Peeta and Katniss take a chance they missed in high school, changing life paths and testing family loyalties. "No son, it's a family business. And blue means loyalty, family loyalty. It means obligation. It means duty. Values we Everdeens and Hawthornes hold high."
1. Chapter 1

There she is. Katniss Everdeen. Object of my fantasies for the last...well...since I started having those thoughts.

She's pumping gas at the corner mart. The sun is glinting off her tan shoulders. She adjusts the sunglasses atop her head and then runs her hand down her dark braid, leaving it draped on her neck.

I haven't seen her since graduation, just over two years ago. And I've never seen her around Tributeton in my visits home. The odds must be in my favor today. She hasn't changed. No, she has. She looks better. She rises up on her toes to inspect the roof of her car - her calves and quads flex and bulge with her efforts. I always loved to see her legs in shorts, jean cut-offs at that.

Watching her fingers grip the fuel dispenser, my mind wanders. I was never been able to observe her hands since she sat in front of me every year of history class. I didn't learn a damn thing about ancient Panem those years. No, I studied her freckles on her neck, traced the woven strands of her dark hair, and imagined the thoughts in her head. She looked out the window often - no doubt craving fresh air and planning her next hunt. I tried not to picture what she and Gale might be doing in the woods. I felt better about my chances when rumors started spreading about him and the mayor's daughter but still didn't do anything about it. The vision of her hands wrapped around the trigger will play well into my fantasies tonight. For now though, I just need gas.

I'm parked behind her, waiting to fuel up my old FJ40 Land Cruiser. She can't see me in the shade and probably wouldn't recognize my vehicle anyway. It's a mid-seventies model so the fuel efficiency is poor. I'm actually surprised I haven't seen her here before, as many times as I have to refuel this beast. Not that she would ever notice me. I never did gather up the nerve to talk to her. I tried several times. The last being graduation day. She stood just a few feet away from me in the quad with her family. I turned to approach her and every opening line I ever constructed flew out of I mind. I was then immediately interrupted by my mother. I swore to myself that I wouldn't be deterred again the next time I saw her. Then I left early for freshman year of college. I wonder if Katniss stayed and kept working for her dad.

Some of the local guys ogle her and circle her in the station. She scowls at their debasing gestures and I see my chance. I hop down from the driver's seat and make my way towards her; it's the least I can do to fend off the jerks.

"Hey babe, you about ready?" I ask, with what I hope is just the right mixture of swagger and volume..

She's tasting the pet name with disgust when she turns to see who said it. Her look of confusion is over taken by recognition as her gray eyes widen in surprise. "Mellark?" she questions.

Another catcall is hurled her way and I sidle up next to her, posturing my best 'back-off stare' towards the guys. This broad chest is good for something, I guess. The locals dissipate and I turn to her, hopeful for gratitude.

"I could have handled that - I didn't... don't need you to save me," she says.

"Of course you could, you _are_ very intimidating - I just wanted to say hello anyway." I say.

This earns me an eye roll. This is not going well. I need to work fast. Think Mellark, think.

"Katniss-" It's the first time I've said her name aloud since….maybe since ever. It feels good rolling off his tongue.

"What? What do you want? You think you can just show back up in town after two years later and make me look weak?" she asks.

"No... I... I just didn't want those guys to bother you," I manage to say aloud but I'm momentarily stunned that she knows how long I've been gone. It was her graduation day too, but still I'm amazed she places me there too.

"So you could bother me instead? No thanks," she says.

"No, hey it's not like that. Let's start over," I offer. I swallow and use my best smile. "I'm headed out to Parachute Falls. I've got sandwiches and an apple tart from the bakery. I packed extra in case I got really hungry. Would you care to join me on this lovely Sunday?" I say.

There is a slight shift in her expression. Her scowl softens just a touch and it gives me hope. "I never pegged you for the nature type," she says.

"Oh, I'm just going to sketch. It'd be nice to have company though, you could probably tell me what everything is out there," I say.

She seems to consider this proposal as the fuel finally clicks off in the dispenser.

"How long?" she asks, "How long are you going to be out there?"

"Just a few hours to get the afternoon light. I'd be leaving before dark, definitely. I don't want to get lost on the trail," I admit.

She smirks at this. I feel even more optimistic. I run a hand through my hair in anticipation.

"Okay. It's the least I can do for my _hero_," she emphasizes. "I'll drop my car of at Sae's, pick me up there when you're done here?" she plans. "These are the slowest pumps."

"Tell me about it – yeah, sounds good. I'll pick you up at Sae's diner and maybe grab some more water," I suggest.

"Nah, I always carry extra for myself - unless you need more," she says.

"No, I'm covered. Okay then, all set?" I ask.

She replaces her gas cap and hands me the fuel dispenser. She closes the distance between us and I see that the constellation of freckles on her neck is also across her nose. It's incredibly distracting. My eyes flash between her adorable nose to her sensuous lips. I'm thinking up something suave to say because I'd really like to kiss her.

"Just so you know, this is **not** a date. And this night will not end with me spread eagle on my hood or you getting your dick sucked," she states. "I'm not that kind of girl."

"Ah. Erm. No…I wasn't thinking that. I just thought it'd be nice to catch up," my hands are raised in defense of her verbal attack. "That's all, I promise."

She nods back at me and swings down into her car. I watch her drive away in disbelief that she read my mind.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Katniss fucking Everdeen is going on a not-a-date-date with me. In like...ten minutes.

We have an awkward drive to trail head. Luckily, it's not that far out of town. I ask her questions, she stares out the window. It's a little hard to talk with the top off anyway, but I can still catch traces of her shampoo wafting over. Same kind that she had two years ago.

"So, are you in school?" I start.

"Yeah."

"You like your classes?" I try again.

She nods.

I catch the movement out of the corner of my eye – her nonverbal response is enough to keep my questions minimal for the rest of the trip. I talk about my school, the dinner hall, anything to fill the uncomfortable silence. It feels history class all over again.

Once she's out of the confines of the vehicle, she seems to open up. We walk and talk on the half-mile trail to the falls. The trail is well maintained and has a few slick spots on large slabs of limestone. She points out plants with funny names but witch hazel, sassafras, Carolina jessamine are about the only ones I can remember.

"This is one of the Hawthornes. Did you know you could make jelly from the fruits?" She explains. "It's called mayhaw. It's delicious."

At the mention of her close family friend's name, I don't press further. I just enjoy the botany lesson. And the view. Her hips sway in time while she walks and it's getting increasingly harder to hide my reaction to her presence.

"That's a short leaf pine, over there. It's different from a long leaf pine, which has super long needles -– there's one," she guides.

They all look the same to me: short needles, long needles, whatever – but it's nice to know the names.

"Which is also different from a loblolly – which come to think if it, is you."

"What?" I ask as I'm shaken out of my reverie. I haven't been paying attention at all, I just like the sound of her voice.

"Pinus Taeda. You take the first two letters of the genus and species name to get the code for shorthand in field notes – so 'Pita'. You're a loblolly pine!" She jokes.

I smile and nod but don't quite find the humor in it that she does. My name has two 'e's and not an 'i'. But whatever, she's happy and I don't mind being funny to her.

"Are you taking botany?" I ask.

"No, that's from geography class," she says.

We walk in companionable silence for another quarter mile.

"You tore your ACL, didn't you?" She asks.

"What?"

"Your tread is uneven. You put more weight on one foot more than the other when you walk," she says.

"Yeah, in my last match senior year. Against the champ from District 11. It cost me the championship and full ride at State," I say.

"I was there, at that match. There was a blonde girl…Delly Cartwright, wasn't it? She was all over you," Katniss recalls.

"Delly? She was the trainer. She had to check me out – and it was her call that no one touch it there – otherwise, my knee might have been more messed up. As it is, I still end up limping on that leg after a lot of activity," I explain but my heart clenches a little. _She was at that match, she saw the interchange with Delly, and she sounds jealous at the memory. _

"Like today?" She asks.

"Like today. I'll probably have to ice it when I get home," I say.

The pine trail opens up to a vista of lush vegetation hugging the banks, crystal clear water, and waterfalls a little further up. It's breath taking. The old oaks provide shade along the crushed limestone banks.

"Let's set up camp over there," she suggests, "in the shade and off from the falls."

I show off the snacks from my pack, hoping to entice her. She used to like the stuff from the bakery, or at least her sister did back when they were in school together.

She shares a little of the food. My hands brush up against her several times during the exchange. All of the hairs on my arms react as if a shock has passed through me. She enjoys the apple tart and the half sandwich she takes. It doesn't seem like enough to me.

I pull out my notebook and pencils and starts to sketch while she walks around. Eventually, she tires of exploring and she lays down. At first she just stares at the water, plummeting down, and then she curls up to the side. It looks like she's taking a nap. I sketch her while she dozes. It's cute. I fill a few pages. The way the light filters down to reach her. The way her fist flexes in her slumber. The look of peace on her face.

Her olive skin and dark hair are a direct contrast to my own fair complexion, blond hair, and blue eyes. My mom calls the difference a 'division of the classes' but I do not see it that way. My mother believes that Katniss' family is backwoods and lower class because of their Lenape heritage while we live in town and would be considered upper class. I think about Katniss' family though and know that her mother was from my part of town before marrying John Everdeen.

Katniss stirs and stretches. I tuck away the pages filled of her and begin a new sketch of the riverine vegetation lining the banks.

"How is it that you're free today?" She asks.

"Bakery's closed on Sundays. And I just needed to get away from the house. It's been nice to come home so far this summer, but I prefer not being around my mom."

"You didn't come back last summer, did you?" she asks.

"Nope, I stayed and took summer school to get ahead – and avoid home," I reply and my mind races—_was she looking for me last summer, thinking I'd return like everyone else?_

"Yeah, I mean…the shop is closed on Sundays too. I don't get much time outside anymore between the shop and night classes. I've been taking my core curriculum up at the district Community College. I'll start business classes this coming fall so I can keep the family trade alive. It's my duty, or so my dad likes to lecture," she says.

"That sounds heavy, but I suppose I'm expected to do the same thing. Carry on at the bakery. I don't want to though. I want to teach art." I say.

This admission seems to spark her interest.

"Really? Me too. I mean, not art – but archery. In schools, where the kids are and not have to wait on them to get out to the range at the shop. But that's really just a pipe dream at this point. Dad and Uncle Joe expect me and Gale to carry on the family business. Just like a loyal daughter."

"Gale?" I question.

"Yeah – Gale Hawthorne," she returns.

I was worried she'd say that.

"What happened to the mayor's daughter? I thought they were going to run away. That was the rumor in high school anyhow," I say wistfully.

"Look at you – town gossip!" she teases.

I can feel my cheeks burning.

"Madge moved away after high school, and has spent every summer abroad since then. If they still talk, he ain't sayin'," Katniss states.

"He's like your cousin though, right – the way your families operate?" I ask.

"Cousin? I feel like he's more my brother. Always in my business, yanking my braid. Calling me dumb names like 'catnip'. Bossing me around the store. Our dads own it 50/50, but he gives off a superior air."

"I can see that…" I say and I secretly want to pummel him.

"Hey, so do you want to come back out here next Sunday?" I venture, a little terrified but emboldened.

"Yeah, we can get the 2-man kayak from the shop. We can paddle around the pool under the falls. You know where it's at, right?" She says.

"Yeah…The shop, yeah. I…. It's shallow, right?" I say.

"Wait, can you not swim?"

"I can swim," I say. "I just don't you know…swim a lot, because of my knee."

"Oh you'll be fine – water exercise is the best thing for it actually, and I'll be there," she said with a soft smile.

Her grin is more reassuring than anything else. I know I'll be in good hands.

I get home and avoid any questions about where I've been all day. It's pretty well understood in the Mellark family that we all need time away from the house. I climb the stairs quickly to grab a shower before dinner. I start the water and strip off my clothes from the day. It wasn't too hot out but Mom would still prefer if we all freshen up before all sitting down at the table.

My memory flashes to Katniss today as I step under the spray. I pump some shampoo into my hand and scrub my scalp. I go for the soap to clean the rest of me. Those shorts, her smell, and the way she gripped the fuel pump, my lathered-up hand automatically goes to my dick. After the constant stimulation all day, I know this won't take long. My stamina is usually better. At least the girls I've dated at college never complained. I always noticed other girls in high school, but never dated them since I was waiting to ask Katniss. Then I let that opportunity pass, got over myself a bit, and started talking to girls at college. I dated a few and fell into an easy relationship with one of them. We were both virgins when that moment arrived. It was awkward and clumsy and we got better at sex over time. I shift my memories though, I don't want to think about an ex-girlfriend with Katniss' shampoo scent still lingering. I've got my left hand firmly planted on the wall as my right hand takes care of business. I alternate strokes and running my thumb in a circle on my tip.

I focus on her plump lips, then her hips, and lastly the way her tank top clung to her perky breasts just before we parted. What would it feel like to slide my cock between them? What would her hands feel like on my dick? I'm imagining it as I feel the familiar sensation build in my balls. I slow down my movements, mimicking what I'd do to her, if ever given that chance. I envision spreading her legs to taste her and that does me in. I come hard and my body is wracked in my orgasm. I catch most of it in my hand and the rest hits the floor. I have to shake my head to clear my thoughts and finish rinsing off. I step of out of shower relatively calm and yet still pretty nervous for next weekend.

Next Sunday I ease my Land Cruiser to the side of Bow Brothers. I've never actually set foot on the property, but I figure that with it being Sunday – all owners and tall sons would be gone.

Katniss appears and we heft the boat up on to the rack. We work together to strap the kayak to the top of my FJ and load the gear and oars. She goes back inside the shop to gather her daypack and gear.

A man I recognize as Katniss' dad rounds the corner of the building. Shit. I didn't seen another vehicle. This family moves like ninjas.

"Peeta, right? Baker's kid?" Mr. Everdeen says.

"Yes, sir. That's correct," I say and extend my right hand.

He grabs it to shake it. "John Everdeen. I see you're going out with my daughter?" he says.

"Yes sir, Katniss and I are headed out for some kayaking out near Parachute Falls," I respond quickly.

"That sounds like fun. Say….Do you see my sign up there?" he gestured to the building, and to the 'Bow Brothers' sign out front.

"Yes, sir." I say.

"Do you know why it's blue?"

"No, sir – other than it will catch your eye while driving by?"

"No son, blue means loyalty. It means obligation. It means duty. Values we Everdeens hold high." Mr. Everdeen took a deep breath and looked me over once more. "I can see from your expression that you're not following me. Son, forget the damn sign. It means my daughter will not date you. Katniss' path is not with you."

"Well sir….We're not, I'm mean, this is not a date," I gulp.

"Now I don't know what your designs are, but she will be marrying Gale and carrying on this family business once she finishes school. Keep that in mind on this 'not-a-date-date'," he warns.

"Yes sir," I say with less enthusiasm.

Katniss picks this moment to reappear with her pack and gear. "Ready?" she asks.

"Now you two run along and have a good time!" Mr. Everdeen cautions.

"Oh daddy, really?" Katniss throws back at him as she climbs into my FJ.

If the road silence was awkward last week, it was downright uncomfortable this week. The dads have planned for their kids to marry – even though she only views him as a brother or cousin? That's sick.

We reach the trailhead and I park. As we unload the kayak, she is the first to break the silence.

"What did my dad say?" Katniss asks.

"We talked about his sign," I say.

"Ugh. Not the sign," She says.

"Well he seemed pretty proud of it," I say.

"Forget whatever he told you," she demands.

"All of it? You don't even want to hear?" I ask.

"Do I need to?"

"Well, among other things, he said you were already attached to Gale."

"I am not. Just forget it."

No botany tour this trip, just the sound of my footsteps and crickets on the trail. Her footfalls are silent.

She veers on the trail so we could set up below the falls.

We set the boat down and lay out our packs. My mind cycles in and out of the outburst I want to have about the exchange with her dad and then her command to dismiss - it isn't easily to follow either.

"Look, Katniss – this is the second time I've really gotten talk to you since high school. But here's the thing. I've always wanted to talk to you. Wanted to get to know you. I was just too chicken shit back then. But we're here now – and whatever you have in your future – I'm just really happy to have this time with you right now. Is that okay?"

She considers my request while taking the longest damn pull of her water bottle ever.

"Yes Peeta, I'll allow it."

My shoulders sag in relief. I strip off my shirt and hear a small noise behind me. I turn to find the source and Katniss stands there with a funny look on her face and a blush spreading across her cheeks.

We put the boat in the water and circle the pool a few times – since it's only a moderate-sized pool. She's taken the rear position. I'm in the front seat. She's more experienced and I'm mostly along for the ride. She directs me to stroke left or right with the oar, in sync with her movements. She is silent for a few minutes. I am used to her long pauses by now, but this one seemed to persist.

"Katniss? You still back there?" I call out.

I'm still met with silence.

I rest my oar in the hook and turn to face her. She has an impulsive, irresistible gleam in her eye. Her lips part and then purse. "Your eyelashes," she observes. I think she's about to say more when she leans towards me at the same time I reach back to cup her jaw. Her silver eyes are ablaze with desire. My fingertips graze her ear lobe. I pause to lick my lips and extend my reach just a little bit further to brush her lips. The movement disrupts the kayak's balance and send us both into the cold water.

We dry off on the lake bed and do not make eye contact for the rest of the afternoon before heading back into town. We reach the shop and I'm on full alert for family or business partners.

"You better meet me next week at Sae's like the first time – to avoid another Everdeen lecture," she says.

"Next week? I mean, I hoped, but yeah – would you like to get together again next Sunday?" I ask with a hopeful note.

"Peeta, I think we can make this a regular thing," she says.

"Here then, let me get your number – in case anything comes up," I offer. I know of at least one thing that will be coming up later tonight, when I review the almost-kiss on the water.

My week drags with each passing day. If my family notices my distraction, they don't mention it.

Next Sunday, I approach Sae's parking lot in a trance. I have had the near kiss on constant loop in my head all week. Why had she picked that moment to try and kiss me? How soft are her lips? How strong will her tongue be? I plan on watching her movements and body language super close today to pick my moment better. I just really want to kiss her. I've also been brushing and flossing my teeth several times a day to be the freshest possible for her.

I arrive at the parking lot and she promptly hops up in my truck. We make the quick drive out the trailhead with my radio turned up.

We head down the trail. She points out more plants and flowers this time since her hands are not otherwise busy toting the kayak. We reach the same spot as last weekend, near the pool.

I kick off my shoes and strip off my gray t-shirt. She pulls up her tank and reveals a pear-hued suit. It's a little old and faded, but it compliments her skin and hair. The material covers up most of her breasts, but there's enough skin for me to know they are fantastic.

"That's a pretty shade – I like it. Almost as much as my other favorite color, but this suits you."

"Oh thanks, Prim helped me pick it out a few years ago. What's your favorite color?" she says.

"Orange, well…more like sunset. I love the way the chroma shifts and blends."

Katniss nods in agreement.

"Anyhow, Prim? What's she like…16 by now?" I say.

"Yeah, and a bunch of trouble. My parents didn't have to deal with me and boyfriends but they have their hands full with her and Rory Hawthorne," Katniss explains. "And she doesn't have to log hours at the shop yet so she all this free time and a shiny new license to drive."

"Sounds like she's got it made," I say.

"Well, she's lucky in a way – she's not going to get the same family loyalty lectures I do since she already has her eyes on Rory. Getting me and Gale together though…that's going to be more challenging," Katniss confided, her eyes taking a far-off, pensive glare.

"Anyhow, I really don't want to think about that out here," she says.

She turns from me and wades out into the waist-deep part of the pool, beckoning me to follow. I lag in her wake and send a playful splash her way. Not enough to drench her, but enough to startle her.

She returns the splash with enthusiasm. "As it gets later in the summer, the rains will dry out and these falls will slow to a trickle," she says.

"Really? I figured it was spring-fed," I say.

"Yeah, happens every year – so it's good we're taking advantage of it the water while we can," she says and pivots to face me.

Her words register with me and I seize the moment. I stride to her purposefully, giving her plenty of time to stop me or back away. I stand before her and trail my fingertips down her bare shoulder to her forearm. I grasps her hand in mine and turn her palm over. I raise her hand to my lips and kiss it sweetly before returning my gaze to her. Her chest is rising and falling, matching the thud of my own heartbeat. I don't want to mess this up. I place her hand on my chest so she can feel it herself. I lean in as she opens her mouth. No sounds of protest escapes so I proceed. Our lips meet lightly. I try again with more pressure. She tilts her head slightly and it's a much better angle. I keep my eyes trained on hers, the water reflecting in her silver irises, just until we both close our eyes at the same time. I pull her lower lip between mine and then slide my tongue along her top lip. My right hand is still tangled with her left hand and I grasp her right hip, to tug her closer. Warmth is radiating off her body and being absorbed by mine. As our kiss intensifies, she can undoubtedly feel the effect she's having on me but she doesn't pull away.

I feel everything. My toes curl, unable to find purchase on the slick limestone beneath my feet. Water laps at my lower back. The sun bears down on us, escalating the heat between us. Her fingernails dig into my left shoulder as her body slides against mine. I have a firm grasp on her hip and my finger inches along the waist band of her bikini bottoms. As much as I want to though, I don't slip it underneath. I could explode right here and now so I don't want to rush this. Her kisses travel to the side of my mouth and roam up my jaw. I take advantage of her exposed ear lobe to suck it between my teeth. I hear her whisper a soft sigh when I give it an innocent nibble. This is incredible. So much different than anything I've ever felt before. I could live right here, in this moment, forever.

The sound of other recreationists arriving unfortunately breaks our embrace and we separate. She standing two feet away from me, rubbing her lips with her fingertips as a devilish smile spreads across her face.

"Not too bad Mellark," she concedes just as I send another splash her way.

I don't press my odds. That kiss was so spectacular, I have no more needs for the day.

As we reach shore, we dig into the picnic basket. Sandwiches and a chocolate tart today.

"Oh, hey, I was looking online this week at teaching resources and I saw something you might be interested in." I fish out the paperwork from my bag.

"Oh yeah?" Katniss brightens.

"Yeah, I printed it - here, 'ARCHERY in the SCHOOLS'. It's through the NASP? The National Archery in the Schools Program. Have you heard of it?" I ask.

"Yeah, well sort of – they haven't had it here in this district," she says.

"Yeah – I found this on the District 4 page," I tell her.

"'Changing lives one arrow at time,'" she reads. "I like the sound of that. Thank you Peeta, thank you for thinking of me."

I'm rewarded with a hug. I lean in for another kiss when she speaks.

"I think about you," she says. "Too," she adds.

I smile and pocket that idea about another kiss. This day is perfect.

The week takes for-freaking-ever to finish. I send Katniss a few texts throughout the week, just to let her know I was thinking of her and that I was looking forward to Sunday. Not too many though, I do not want to come off a lovesick fool. Even though I am. She doesn't respond but since I don't know if that's standard Katniss standard-operating-procedure or not, I do not worry about it. I make us some sandwiches and pack up another apple tart – she seemed to like that the first date. _Date_. How silly does that sound? We're 20. It should be called something else. I smile nonetheless. I've finally kissed Katniss Everdeen. It's my personal Everest. And it was amazing. She was amazing. I want to pick up where we left off.

I finally receive a cryptic text from her early on Sunday morning.

_Meet me at the old train yard_.

Why there? Why not at Sae's Diner? Or the parking area for Parachute Falls. Fuck, even the gas station would make more sense. I get my hopes up that she's picked a more private area on purpose, somewhere we won't be interrupted, like we were the last time. I pack an old blanket to lay out for a picnic and a few condoms, in case the odds are very much in my favor.

I pull up into the parking area at the old train yard to see her waiting there already. She gets out her car and wrings her wrists. Her braid is messier than usual and her eyes are stormy. She doesn't look happy.

She meets me on the driver's side of FJ. I've barely jumped out before she turns to me with determination in her eyes. She stalks off towards the timeworn track with hunched shoulders, motioning for me to follow her.

"Can we talk?" she asks quietly once they reach the gravel bed. She concentrates on the rock, kicking stray pebbles off the deteriorated rails.

Uh oh. Definitely can't be good. "Uh, yeah," I say as we stand on the track.

"Sorry, Peeta, we can't go out together today," she rushes out without making eye contact.

I'm just about to respond when she starts again, "Or next week, or ever again. My dad was right. My place is with the family," she says as she plays with her hands.

"With the family? The one that wants to you to marry your 'cousin-brother' and run the shop?" I sputter. "No Katniss, you want me. I know it," I say.

She raises her head to finally look me in the eye. Her quicksilver eyes slice right through me with her scowl.

"Why? One kiss, Mellark – one kiss and you think you're my savior? Again?" She fires back. "Well, you're wrong. You're wrong about my family, wrong about Gale, and most of all, wrong about me. You don't have any claim to me – any more than anyone else," she asserts.

"But…we….we were starting something here, Katniss," I plead.

"No. We weren't," she declares. "I was just passing the time on a few boring Sundays."

For once, no words come to me. She takes my silence as finality and retreats to her car. She takes one last look back at me. I can only imagine the pain she must see there.

Is this what this feels like? To get my heart broken along a train track among the last of the season's wildflowers? If it didn't hurt so much, I'd swear it was cliché. It's like the last two years haven't happened and I'm still standing there at graduation, tongue-tied by Katniss Everdeen.

**END OF PART I. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Part I has been revised so it might be worth a revisit before reading Part II, and it's been 84 years.**

**My goal is to post Part III in sooner time than it took me to finish Part II. Fingers are crossed!**

**Thank you to SponsorMusings, Court81981, and Fnur for pre-reading and beta work! Your encouragement, suggestions, and straight talk really helped improve this chapter, in my mind anyway :)**

I stumble away from the train track, stomping on the wildflowers as I head to my truck and put it in gear. I roll the steering wheel, aiming back on the highway towards Tributeton but I do not want to go home. I drive aimlessly on the roads, burning up enough fuel to get away and yet not enough to get stuck somewhere. I find a place to park off of the main road so I can stare at the sky as it turns dark until I am expected at home.

I consider Katniss' head space. _What changed? What is going on? Why did she end things? Was it her dad? Was she under pressure from her family? Did she get another lecture about the color of loyalty?  
_  
I am plagued by the questions bouncing around my mind. I miss her already. I felt like I had finally broken through her tough exterior, only to have her slip away again.

Throughout the week, I am inconsolable. My brothers notice the change in my mood, but it's fairly easy to keep to myself. My parents are oblivious to my despair. I'm so low that I can't even bring myself to sketch. I don't have much of an appetite either, but I eat enough to keep going.

Both of my brothers try to cheer me up for a week. I never really shared what was going between Katniss and me with them, so they don't know or understand the source of my ire and I'm certainly not going to talk about it now. Maybe it wasn't anything in the first place. Maybe I was wrong.

"Hey little bro, do you wanna come out with us tonight?" Piers says.

"Yeah – something to break you out of whatever funk you've been in since last weekend," Paul adds.

"Where are you going?" I ask with mild curiosity.

"Anywhere we can find trouble. Probably start out at Sae's and see where that leads," Piers says.

"Nah. I think I'll just stay here," I say. I wouldn't want to go anywhere near Sae's anyway. They head out on Friday night, without me.

I don't sleep well. Maybe I should have joined them. Paul's kind of an ass, but Piers can be funny and good company. When I reach the bakery on Saturday morning, they are boisterously gossiping about something. My ears perk up when I hear 'Hawthorne' and 'Everdeen' waft over the room.

"What?" I croak?

Paul and Piers turn to notice me in the kitchen, for the first time. "Um, we saw Hawthorne and Everdeen out at Sae's for dinner. Seemed pretty cozy," Paul observes.

"Like a date?" I inquire.

"Dunno, it was just the two of them and they weren't speaking much," Piers continues.

This revelation sends me into a spiral all day. _Were they on a date? Are they being forced into a relationship? Has she kissed him? Did she like it?  
_  
I go to White's Liquor store as soon as I've scrubbed the dough and frosting from my hands. The options are somewhat overwhelming, so I start looking at the prices. I select a mid-range whiskey, and approach the counter with my brother's old ID. We look close enough with our goofy grins, mop of blond hair, and blue eyes - never mind that my jaw is more square than his.

I wait nervously in line as the town drunk Haymitch Abernathy stumbles into the store. He's paunchy and middle-aged, already staggering at 4 p.m. He's here to pick up more of the jug vodka from the bottom shelf, no doubt. He grabs his intended purchase and squints at me. His old eyes flash in recognition.

"Look at him! Look at this one." Haymitch gestures to me but addresses the store clerk.

I release an uneasy laugh and clear my throat.

"You're the baker's kid, aren't you? The youngest one?"

"Erm, no, I'm Piers," I stammer.

"You are not, boy. You're too young to be in here. Git," Haymitch warns.

I open my mouth to protest, thinking I can talk my way out of this one too.

"Look, I like you. You've got lots of spunk tryin' to buy n'all, but get outta here." Haymitch says. 

Dejected, I make my way back home. I trudge up the stairs to the living room and flip on the television, looking for something else to numb my mind. Paul is at the table, eating a sandwich.

"I'm going to leave if you turn on a sappy movie. I can't take much more of your depression," Paul says. "What happened to the sunny, happy Peeta from a few weeks ago?"

I consider telling him _that guy got dumped_, but pivot to the TV instead. As I scroll through the channels, something catches my eye.

An animated blue arrow whizzes across the screen and hits the bullseye on a target with flourish. The camera pans to the archer and I expect to see Katniss, pride of the family after all. I'm surprised to say the least when it's a handsome bronze-haired guy standing there instead.

"Were you expecting someone else?" he jokes to the camera. He looks vaguely familiar, yet I can't quite place him.

"I'm Finnick Odair, winner of the gold medal in the 10m platform ten years ago. To keep hitting my mark after all of this time, I shop at Bow Brothers in Tributeton. And you should, too," he says. He flashes a mega-watt smile and saunters off screen. The view fades to the Everdeen and Hawthorne patriarchs, with their children on either side of them. Katniss looks horrified to be in this corny commercial.

"We're a full line archery shop and range! Come see our fine selection of bows and crossbows for men, women, and youngin's," John Everdeen says.

Disgusted, I snap off the TV. I have no interest in hearing anything else that man has to say and reluctantly relinquish my glimpse of Katniss.

"Whoa? Was that Finnick Odair? If they're pulling in the hometown celebrities...the shop must be doing well, or they're trying to look that way," Paul says.

"Whatever, I guess," I respond curtly.

"What is up with you, man? A few weeks ago, you were annoyingly chipper and since then, you've been all Broody McDarkness," Paul says.

"What? Are suddenly concerned for me? Don't you have something else to do?" I retort.

"Look man, maybe you don't want to talk about it with me, but find somebody to open up to. You're a wreck," Paul says.

That's just it though. I did open up to someone and she shut the door on my face. I disappear into my room for the next and the entire day, sleeping as much of my only day off as possible. 

I work all week. Work. Sleep. Work again. I think it is Saturday again, but it doesn't matter – it's all the same. Sundays aren't special anymore. My thoughts are broken by a patter on the window and I realize I'm about to burn the tray of loaves in the oven. _Is that rain?_ I have been lost in thought; it must have been pouring for a while. It's probably been dry the last few weeks but I have not really noticed. A summer rainstorm is a rare, beautiful thing. I wonder if our pool out at Parachute Falls would fill from this shower. There are puddles forming in the backyard when I spy a figure huddling outside. I peer out into the steamy rain. It's a girl and she's clutching herself, soaked to the bone, under the branches of the ancient apple tree along the back fence. I stiffen.

It's Katniss.

I step out the back door, staying under the eaves, and watch her. She approaches me slowly, like wounded prey, through the downpour, sloshing in the puddles, and finally reaching the relative shelter of the building. 

It stings to look at her now, with concern etched on her face instead of the annoyance I last saw there. _Why is she here now?_ _Is she here to hurt me some more? Has she changed her mind? _I cross my arms, stare her down, and wait for her to speak_._

"Peeta, it was an act," she says. 

I look down as my heart sinks and hold out for more of an explanation-because frankly, that bit of information doesn't help. _What was an act? Was she acting with me? Acting with Gale? Which part was real?_

"I couldn't stop seeing your face as I drove away. Knowing I caused that pain. I cut you loose because of my family. My dad, specifically. He's trying to convince me into sticking it out with Gale. Not to mention, this ...thing..." - she waves between me and her - "happening here is new for me."

I open my mouth to speak but she barrels on with her reasons.

"I've never had this type of...relationship. I wasn't sure what happens next. I mean, I have an idea but it's the other part that scares me more. The idea of giving my heart to someone makes me feel vulnerable and I was always raised to stay tough. So Gale seemed like a safer choice. I know him, he's familiar," she rationalizes.

"My dad was scared that I'd break up the store or something, but he's just a big fat hypocrite. He and Mom broke tradition when she chose him over her family. In fact, it was your dad she was supposed to marry, did you know that?" she says.

Surprise washes over me. _My dad?_ "No, I didn't. I mean, I didn't know that my dad was involved with your mom. I knew that your mom married into the Lenape tribe. My dad doesn't ever talk about his life before marriage," I offer. "Here's the thing though, why would he guilt you into marrying someone when he fought so hard for your mom when they were young?" I ask. I know my gaze is lingering on her and I can't help it. She's making sense now but I can't stop this feeling in my gut.

"He was pushing us towards a life where we wouldn't be subjected to public gossip and scorn from the older generation, like how he and my mom had the different backgrounds. He had convinced himself that Gale and I would eventually click too," she explains.

"I guess the real question is what's left now? What's your big plan? Or do you agree with your dad? Does your mom have anything to say?" I ask, with a deep desire to hear her refute all of these questions.

"No. He's wrong. I don't want that," she states and I feel relieved. "I want you. I want to keep seeing you." She takes another step closer to the porch. "I kept track of you in school, in my own way. I noticed small things about you. I'm so glad we started talking. The Sundays we have been spending together have been amazing."

I'm still reeling from her previous revelations but this string of confession sends me stumbling further back on the porch, like I've been shot with one of her arrows. _She wants me._ _She wasn't just passing time on those Sundays. She noticed me too in high school._ _She's happy we started talking._ _She enjoyed our Sundays._ _She wants me. The mantra keeps playing in my head._

I refocus on her trembling lip from her last statement and I notice that although the rain has stopped, she's still shivering. While relief is coursing through me, I'm sure she's chilled from the rain.

I pull her up on the porch and into the bakery kitchen immediately. She protests but I swear to her that no one will mind. "Mom's not here and my dad will stay in the front with customers." I bring her by the large oven to warm her up and set her on the counter. She strips off her drenched jacket and shuffles her hands up and down her arms. I dig around in the under cabinets for towels, but can't find anything large enough.

"I'm just going to run up the stairs and get you a big towel," I ask as I begin to back away.

"I don't want to dry off. I want you," she whispers and reaches out to me.

I take her hand and she yanks me to her, crushing our chests together. She's still cold to the touch so I wrap my arms around her frame to envelop her in a hug, saturating my own shirt in the process. I run my hand over her hair, search her eyes, wet my lips, and capture her mouth in a kiss. This kiss is not tentative like our last one-it is arresting. She broke my heart and now wants to put the pieces back together. She wants me. _She wants me_. 

Our hands roam. I try to pull away and she squeezes my ass to bring me back closer. I explore the rest of her face and throat with my mouth. She tugs on my nape, snapping my mouth to hers. The things I want to do to her...I need to do in private. I whisper as much into her open mouth while I thrust my growing erection towards her warming body.

She places her palm on my chest to slow us down, no doubt feeling my rapid heartbeat under her hand, and pulls my eyes up to meet hers. "Peeta...I want that too. I'm mean, I can't name this feeling I have when I think about you but I know I want to be with you." She bites her lip and pauses before continuing, "you should know though, I'm a virgin," she says softly.

Her palm is still there when my heart stutters. This is too much information to process. _Feelings for me? Virgin?_ "Oh, uh. Wow, um, how's that?" I stumble.

"Well like I said, this relationship thing is new. I want to try though, with you," she says as she draws circles into my chest with her fingers.

"Ok," I say. 

"You're not though, are you?" she asks.

"Ummmm, well no," I confess. "I….I never dreamed that I'd talk with you, let alone get to this point here. So I noticed other girls and I found myself a girlfriend last year. The relationship ended though."

Disappointment flashes in her eyes but then curiosity seems to take over. I catch my breath and say "I hope you understand that I would have wanted you to be my first too, but we weren't even on speaking terms before this summer." She nods in understanding.

"I want to too," I say. "But where? We'd want more um….privacy….than we'd get out at the falls, especially since we interrupted last time. The bakery is usually pretty crowded and I doubt we can go to your house."

She seems to ponder the situation and chewing on her lower lip, "We should get a room. You know, go somewhere tomorrow and get a room. If you want to."

"Katniss, I've wanted you forever and I can wait even longer. When you're ready though - I want to take my time with you," I say.

"I want to…with you," she declares. "I want you to be my first."

I curl my fingers into her hair and guide her lips to mine, sealing her offer with a kiss. My mind spins, she wants her first time to be with me. She wants to give _me_ her virginity. Katniss Everdeen wants to have sex with me!

We part reluctantly after she's warmed up and her clothes are dry. I escort her to her car for one last kiss until tomorrow. I take an extra-long shower that night and another one the next morning. I'm not taking any chances in disappointing her. I want to make this good for her and Katniss deserves more than a three-pump chump.

*********************************

Katniss meets me at the high school to park her car for the day. It's a much lower profile place than Sae's Diner.

"It's not an obvious spot my dad or Gale would check," she claims as she hops in to my FJ.

She leans across the center console for a quick kiss. I turn my attention to the road and navigate to the highway, heading east.

"How far are we going?" she asks, her hand twitching on her braid.

"Arenasport - have you ever been? It's still in Panem County, but far away enough from Tributeton that we shouldn't run in to anyone," I say.

"A few times, it's been a while though. It's not too far though, right?" Katniss asks.

"Near and yet far enough away. And well there's only two places that I'd even consider taking you," I say. "I called both managers ahead of time for check-in times and whatnot. I figured we could check in right at 11am and leave by 5pm to not arouse any suspicions with our families. I talked to Seneca Crane at Cavern Lodge and Plutarch Heavensbee at Sundial Suites, which is right on the lake. So do you want mountains or a lake view?" I offer.

"Which was cheaper?

"Cavern Lodge," I say.

"Mountains it is then, we need to save our money for more Sundays, "she says with anxious laughter.

"You got it. Where does your family think you are today?" I ask.

"Hanging out with Bristel."

"I didn't know you were that close," I say.

"We aren't, but I don't anticipate that she'll run into my dad and he'll think it's great – me making friends with other girls from the tribal council meetings."

"Are you active?"

"Yes and no – Dad likes to keep the profile up among the other Lenape groups. He thinks it's good for business. I just like having someone else to talk to."

Nervous anticipation settles over us on the drive.

We reach the Cavern Lodge before too long and I park out front. I check in to the room after minimal conversation with the manager.

I pull the truck around back and we unlock the door to Room 12.

She follows me into the room and locks the door as I pull the top bedspread off, and toss it in the corner of the room. I turn to face her. I see the skepticism in her features and I want to smooth it away. This isn't exactly the bed of roses I had in mind either, but our options are limited since neither of our families would approve of what I hope is about to happen.

I walk around the space to adjust the lamps for mood lighting, thinking of something to remove the small scowl on her face.

"It's cozy," I say, assessing the room and trying to lighten the sudden weight in the room. "But it's probably not what you dreamed of for this."

She's quiet as she looks around the room and then turns her bright gray eyes back to me. "I didn't dream of anything, really—just you." She shrugs and smiles. "It's fine. I mean, I'm a simple girl and I don't need anything fancy—just somewhere private, somewhere no one else knows us, somewhere you can keep kissing me like yesterday."

Her acceptance grounds me, "That, I can do," I say as I take her hand and return a smile back to her face.

I cup her cheek and bring her face closer to mine, her eyelids sliding shut. Ghosting my lips over hers, I give a light kiss. Even lighter than our first kiss. Just a whisper of a kiss to bring us back into the moment. She stands still, keeping her eyes closed as I dot kisses on her face and reach for the hem of her tank top. I place a kiss to each of her eyes and cheeks as I roll up her top off of her in an agonizing progression. I then turn to her shorts and unfasten them one button at a time, my kisses traveling to her shoulders and collarbone.

I take just a few seconds to yank off my own shirt and divest myself of my shorts. I strip the second quilt off the bed, clutch her to me and tip us over, so that we fall onto the crisp, clean sheets.

The movement catches her off guard but she's quick to adjust to our new position and clings tight to me.

She's magnificent in my arms. I saw just about this much skin in her bikini and reach forward to slip off her bra strap to reveal more. She reaches behind to unclasp her bra. My imagination did not do the rest of her justice, as I'm awed by her pert breasts and dusky nipples. I reach out to cup her breasts while she grapples with my underwear. I pause to remove her panties, slipping her lean legs out of them one at a time. I take a deep breath before pulling my own down and gauge her reaction to my semi-hard cock.

"So…what's next?" she asks with a nervous lilt in her voice and staring at my groin. "Do we just start fucking?"

I laugh out loud and it brings the grin back to her face, "Eventually. We do have a few hours though."

I kiss her again to ease any remaining butterflies. I use my tongue to gather the last of her doubts and swallow them down. Our kisses grow hungrier as our hands roam on each other's bare bodies. I familiarize myself with her skin with a rub here and a pinch there, ensuring that I have clearance to touch her anywhere. My cock slides against the soft flesh of her thigh when it's not digging into her hip. Her skin is so much softer that I'd imagined. The head of my cock slips through her coarse hairs a few times and I have to bite back a giggle at how ticklish it is.

"Katniss, I want to make this good for you first." I tell more than ask and she hums in approval.

I'm eager but I want to do this right, to make her feel good before anything else. I pin her naked body down with kisses. I have her left nipple in my mouth as my right hand seeks out her center. She's unbelievably warm, wet, and tight. If she feels this good around my finger, I can only imagine what it feel like to take her fully. I test angles and pressures to see what she responds to best. When she sings out and arches her breast into my mouth, I know I've hit the spot. I add another finger to help prepare her for what's next.

She's trapped under my torso as I work her. I sneak a peek up at her while she's enjoying the attention. I credit my brothers' passed-along tips more so than my own experience - but actually stroking Katniss makes me want to do this perfect for her.

I've got my thumb pressing hard on her clit and three fingers stroking the spot that simultaneously makes her thighs clench and relax. She chants my name as I bite softly on her nipple, overloading her body with sensation. She comes with a glorious gasp and her eyelashes flutter shut. Her walls quake around my fingers, squeezing and coating them with the after-effects of her orgasm.

"I guess that was okay?" I ask as I hover near her face.

She hums and presses lazy kisses back to my mouth in response.

I give her some time to recover as I reach for the strip of condoms. She's still dazed as she stops me with one hand and reaches for my erection with the other. She uses feather light-strokes along my length and looks deep into my eyes.

"No, Peeta, just you. My mom put me on the pill years ago to help with my cycle."

"But Katniss...I...I don't think I'll last long. I mean, I'm clean and clear - it's just that you feel so good, so..." she lifts up and kisses me to stop my words by giving my lips something else to do. I lick her tongue and dart toward her for more as she pulls away.

"Peeta, we have all the time in the world and I just want to feel you, all of you. And I want it now," she demands.

When I hesitate she adds, "Did you use a condom with the other girl?"

I nod.

"Well I want it to be different with me, since I'm not your first," she says.

_Well what Katniss wants, Katniss gets. Okay, so time for Plan B. I need to make this last as long as possible for both of us_. I have an idea.

She lies back on the bed, spreads her legs, and plants her feet on the sheets. She's beautiful and all mine. I lean down for another kiss. I raise back up and grasp her trembling thighs, pulling her closer to the edge of the bed. I'm still rock-hard and she's so wet, so guidance isn't necessary. I plunge into her with one swift motion, maintaining eye contact, and hold us there for just a moment. Her sharp intake of breath is enough for me to put my next move in motion. I quickly retreat, and bend down to lick at her slit from bottom to top - soothing away at the spot of intrusion. She cries out at the loss initially and then hums in pleasure with my mouth on her.

I repeat the motions, thrust, lick, thrust, lick, thrust, lick. It's slow and I'm aching. Her hips follow my ebb, trying to keep me fully inside of her, but this is too important to finish hastily.

Katniss is sprawled out as I continue to alternate diving into her with my tongue and cock. Her whines raise in pitch as I finally urge her legs over my forearms and focus on snapping my hips into hers, pinning her in place. I'm all in now; her body has fully accepted mine and she's moaning into the sheets as I vault her body into the pillows. I free my right hand from her left leg, to reach down and rub tight circles on her clit to induce another orgasm. I plead with my eyes for her release to begin as I start to feel her clamping down on me again.

"Peeta, Peeta, Peeta" she calls out as her orgasm rolls through her.

I hold steady to freeze this moment for her. Once I see the wave crest over her, from her toes curling, calves flexing, hips tilting into mine, arms flailing, and I'm finally free to let go. I unload into her in long spurts, my cock twitching as it empties. I collapse on the bed and curl her to me, whispering her name in her ear.

I eventually amble to the bathroom and return with a warm washcloth for her and myself. She throws on my t-shirt. I put my boxer-briefs back on. We eat, suddenly starving for the picnic lunch I packed us. I'm in middle of my last sandwich bite when Katniss suddenly reaches out and grabs my flaccid cock.

"I want to try that again," she demands.

"Hold up there, give me a minute," I say, though it's really not necessary. I can feel the blood speeding down under her grip. When she starts pumping, I have to remove her palm from me. I dip two fingers into her for a distraction, to see if she's as ready as she thinks she is. Katniss extracts them and pulls them into her mouth, along her tongue," I like the way we taste."

"Fuck," is all I can really mutter as I struggle out of my underwear.

"Precisely," she says as she pulls my shirt off and reclines on the bed, beckoning me to follow.

Katniss extends her legs just enough to let me enter her, giving me a tight fit in her while I scoot her body up the bed. My body is farther up than last time, with my arms gripping under her shoulders and our pelvises aligned. Her legs are bent on either side of me and her hips are tilted up. I thrust down and her whole body shudders, the base of my shaft maintains constant contact with her clit. Her cries confirm it as I continue rocking into her while she trusts upwards.

It's even slower than the first time, with our moves and countermoves balancing one another. My mouth is attached to her collarbone and I just might leave a mark. Her nails trade off between scratching at my lower back and neck. Her agreements with this position echo in my ear and around the room. It's not long before she's thrusting hard up into my hips and crying out my name and I'm silently begging for my own release. I feel her seize up on my cock and her entire body stills. I erupt into her, spraying my load and filling her to the brim.

I collapse on to her, the sweat between our bodies collecting and bonding us.

"I like that too," she breathes with sated breaths into my ear. It takes all the energy I have to nod into the pillow, my sweat-dampened hair scraping across the linens. I feel myself softening and slipping out of her.

"C'mon, let's go rinse off." I say after regaining my composure.

After two rounds, we reek of sex, and I don't dare return her or myself home in this condition. Begrudgingly, I get her on her feet and shuffle her into the bathroom. She uses the toilet and turns on the shower for us.

We crowd into the shower and stand in the tub, trading off time under the spray. The water wakes her up too and she asks for the soap.

"Gotta get all this Peeta off of me, don't you know my dad will smell my happiness?" she jokes as she spreads the suds across her torso and hands me the bar. She turns to face the wall, indicating that it's my turn to rinse. Gliding the soap bar over her slippery skin on her back, it's difficult to not imagine taking her one more time, but I know she's still recovering. I probably shouldn't have given in earlier, but she wanted more and I could not deny her.

"Lucky for me, my mother has an awful sense of smell," I say and soap in quick, broad strokes to get us out of here and back on the road soon.

We return home giddy, tired and thoroughly fucked, promising to meet up again next Sunday. We both walk to my truck a little funny, the first full strides we've taken since arriving here. When I get home, I need to ice my knee from all of the activity today - but it's worth it.

I'm caught in a daydream during the week in the bakery. My faith in Katniss has been restored. She's in this now. What this is though, I'm not sure. It's a secret, but for how long? The summer won't last forever; they only have nine more weeks in this summer bubble. I consider it but decide I don't care. As long as I can keep her panting my name, I'll be okay.

This first week between our trysts is the worst. I am torn between wanting a release and wanting to save it all for her. Even with all of the delicious aromas in the bakery, of cinnamon rolls, fresh bread, muffins, and cakes - it doesn't compare to her scent or taste. I often drift off while kneading the dough and have to remind myself where I am before my imagination carries me away to Room 12 at the Cavern Lodge. As soon as my shift ends every afternoon, I give into temptation and work through my fantasies in the shower. It's probably better this way and it might help out on Sundays.

I drive into the parking lot and catch a glimpse of her waiting by her car. I pull up alongside her and get a closer look. Her hair is flowing in waves on her shoulders instead of in her usual braid. She's gorgeous in a simple white tank top and floral skirt that skims her knees. It's the most feminine thing I've seen her wear and it's almost like she wrapped herself up in a pretty package, just for me. She hops into the truck, kisses my cheek, and lays her head on my shoulder as we head out of town.

Katniss is quiet until we reach the county line and then turns to me, "I've spent years denying myself things like relationships, and I kick myself for not talking to you in high school. Now we're here and in this - and it feels so impossibly good. I don't want to stop." She takes a deep breath and continues, "I want it all. I want to be on top, on bottom, sideways, in the shower, upside down. I don't care. I want it every way and anyway possible with you. This past week, in between our hours at the motel, has given me some crazy ideas," she divulges with excitement.

I absorb this revelation and it's everything I've wanted to hear over the last week. We sent minimal texts for fear of being exposed by her dad, so hearing her express her commitment to this…fling...or whatever it is, calms me.

"Me too. I mean, I think about it constantly, think about you constantly. What did you want to do next?" I ask.

She considers the question and then finds her voice. "I liked your mouth on me the first time. I want to try my mouth on you."

I cough violently, hit with the vision of my cock sliding in and out her perfect mouth.

"I also want to try being on top." She smiles and adds, "It looked fun."

We arrive at the motel. I go in and pay for our same room while she waits in the truck. I try my best to avoid the lingering stare of the creepy manager.

We rush into Room 12. She reaches over the dresser to flick on the light, when I grab her and spin her to me. I clutch her chest to mine, grasp her face with my right hand and start pressing kisses to her mouth until she accepts my tongue. While our mouths are occupied, I reach down and grip her legs to wrap them around me and hoist her up to the ledge. I paw at her ass, bringing her center closer to me. I can feel her wanting heat seeping through the layers between us. I waste no more time before freeing my erection, shifting her underwear to the side and pistoning into her. We release audible groans as I set a fast pace. I shift my face to the side of hers, to give myself more leverage in these thrusts but also to be careful not to smash my head into the mirror. I concentrate my attention on her earlobe, grazing it with my teeth as my hips do the rest of the work.

My shorts are sagging mid-thigh; a pocket must be caught on a drawer pull or something to not have fallen to the floor already. Katniss' skirt is hiked up around her waist as I drive into her. I can feel the rough leather of her sandals digging into my back and I bang my knees against the cheap furniture. _Thank god it's not real mahogany_.

She suddenly pushes me back and I try not to trip out of my shorts. I fall on to the bed and she stalks towards me, removing her tank top along the way.

"Too fast," she huffs. "We're going too fast. I want it to last a little longer."

I'm about to lose control anyway so I'm grateful for the reprieve. She did say she wanted to be on top, after all. I shrug my shorts and boxer-briefs the rest of the way down my legs as she slips off her skirt and underwear. She climbs over me and leans down to lick her way into my mouth. Her hair fans out over us, but I peek down to see her mount me and sink down on my cock, reconnecting us.

"Like this, this is what I wanted to try," she says as her spine straightens.

I gladly accept the view of her breasts swaying as she bounces and finds her own rhythm. It's not long before her thrusts become shorter and she's more or less dragging her clit across my pubic bone to get off. I dig my fingers into her thighs to hold her to me, letting her ride out her orgasm. She comes with long moan and collapses on to my chest.

"After last week, I was sore…you know, but it turned into a longing," she admits as she raises up and plants her palms on my chest.

"You longed for me?" I ask as I stifle a laugh, "Katniss Everdeen longed for Peeta Mellark." I thrust upwards, serving as a reminder that I'm still very hard within her.

"Huh?" Katniss asks and responds to my movements, undulating her hips into mine.

Still fighting back my pun, I pull her to me. "Nevermind, c'mere."

From my supine position, I use a wrestling move to flip her to her back and pound her into the mattress. She strokes my shoulders and back with her fingertips, encouraging me until I reach completion. I realize we're not always going to finish together like the first time, but as long as she finishes first I don't care.

After a brief clean up and lazy stripping of remaining clothing items, we take a few bites of lunch and curl up on the bed, too exhausted for conversation from the highly active sex. I have the presence of mind to throw a sheet over our naked bodies before we drift off for a nap.

I'm later awoken by her tongue tickling on my still resting cock. I shake the fog from my head for a moment and stare down at her, as she's crouched between my legs. I pull her up to me.

"What's this?"

"I told you, I wanted to try this too. Do you have any pointers?" she asks as she slinks back down.

My breath hitches as she reaches for my cock again.

"Anything would feel fantastic but….um….just don't bite me?"

Just thinking about the things we will do to one another has the blood flowing and raising my cock as it juts towards her. Just two months ago, she swore she wouldn't be doing this and now she's experimenting with different tongue strokes and suction on my eager cock. Her small hands grip the base while she alternates focusing on the tip and attempting to take all of me in her mouth. She's covering her teeth to pop me in and out, but also letting the ridge catch on her incisors when she tilts her head to the side.

"That feels so good, Katniss, so good," I manage.

She hums in appreciation on my cock and I feel my balls tighten. "Katniss – I'm coming," I say as I nudge her shoulder. She swats my hand away and takes me further into her mouth. The hand she had on my shaft switches to grab my balls and I cannot hold back any longer. I release down her throat and she greedily swallows every drop.

I return the favor for her and find myself hard again. I'm always hard for Katniss.

She spies my erection and raises an eyebrow, taunting me to decide how we'll do this next.

I look beyond her to catch the time on the nightstand clock and offer a suggestion, "C'mon, I have an idea on how to multitask the next hour before we have to go."

I lead her to the bathroom and start the water. I urge her to hop in before it gets cold. I press on her lower back to bend her slightly before running my fingers between her thighs, and find her still very much ready for me. I take my cock in hand and rub it against her rump, finding her center and plunging within her quickly. She throws her arms out to steady herself against my demanding thrusts. Her hands are on the tile while my fingers are branding her hips, pulling her to me as I rapidly approach my limits.

"Touch yourself," I command. I know I cannot reach her clit and hang on to keep us upright, plus the thought of Katniss touching herself is unbelievably hot.

She removes a shaky hand from the wall and I watch it disappear between her legs. From the way her walls relax on my cock, I know she's zoned in on her clit. I continue to pump into her while the showers spray rains on my back. She begins to bump back into me as I pump into her. She comes fast and hard, her orgasm triggering my own as I sputter into her. We rinse off in the remaining minutes of lukewarm water, making ourselves presentable again for our families. We locate our clothes strewn about the room, and gorge of the rest of the picnic basket.

Between the dresser and the shower, my knees are shot for the day. They are definitely great positions, worth revisiting, but all of this standing sex is hell on my knees. The ice on my joints is a chilly reminder that I can't keep this up for long. I'm going to lobby for more time on the bed next weekend – I'm sure she won't mind.

Paul and Piers both find ways to comment about my change in disposition from "Broody McDarkness" to "space cadet" and a few other "Earth to Peeta" moments. It doesn't matter. My mind is stuck in the next county, with Katniss and I'm counting the hours until we can be there together again.

We text a little more each day, some are flirty and others are getting heavier. She has always fascinated me but learning all of these new facets of her deepens my feelings for her. I make a mental note to talk about her fall schedule and what that will mean for us. I guess we can have long weekends together once school starts – all the more reason to take advantage of the time we have now. Knowing that our time might be limited doesn't halt the feeling that I'm falling for her, instead it is intensified. She's not just the girl I studied in history class but is now the woman that has completely captivated my heart.

Next Sunday, she's wearing a short denim skirt and a different tank top. _Where does she keep getting these clothes? _

Our 45-minute ride to Arenasport quickly turns into a game of how much we can actually do while keeping the truck on the road. It starts off innocently enough with Katniss' finger dragging up my forearm, connecting the freckles there. From there, she slips her hand under my shirt to rub against my belly.

"I haven't stopped thinking about your mouth," she starts as she draws her fingertips around my lips.

"I haven't stopped thinking about your perfect tits," I return, my left hand on the steering wheel and the other reaching for her left breast.

"These tits?" she asks with one hand palming her right breast. A smirk settles over her face as she pulls her other hand away from me to reach under her shirt and unclasp her bra. She hangs the trophy on my rearview mirror.

"I keep tasting your cock in my mouth," she says as her hand dives past my waistband. I twitch in response and spurs her to grip it tighter.

I shove my hand up her skirt to seek the warmth I've been missing all week. The angle is wrong but I can still feel her, already soaking through her cotton panties.

Her hand circles my rising swollen flesh and I pump a finger into her to mimic the tease.

She manages to undo my button and zipper, allowing her more access in the confines that exist while he continue down the road. I've now got two fingers in her but can't reach her clit too from this angle. Her lips are suctioned to my neck as she rides my hand and pumps my girth.

We nearly miss the turn off to the motel since we are so preoccupied. I hand cash over to Katniss to get the room key from the front desk clerk. I wait in the truck because I can't face anyone with this massive boner. I drive around to 12 and wait for her to come around the corner.

"You didn't tell me about that guy's crazy goatee," she exclaims upon entry to our room.

I silence her with a series of urgent kisses. "Now, I need you now," I beg. She nods and turns towards the bed.

I swing the door closed after we're both in the room, but I'm so desperate to get inside her I don't think to lock it.

My pants are barely stripped down to my thighs before I have her bent over the bed, facing the headboard, on her hands and knees. I'm beginning to like these flirty skirts-they allow for easy access and it show that she's just as eager to fuck as I am. I flip up her skirt, yank down her panties and sink into her. She grunts as I pull out and push back in again. Her shirt doesn't make it much further either, as I've got it halfway pulled up so I can palm one of her breasts. With one foot on the ground and one knee on the bed, I'm resting my full weight against her with every thrust.

I shift one arm down to wrap around her waist, holding her to me, and the other moves to furiously dial her clit, knowing my own orgasm is imminent-it's been a long week without her. Just as I feel her starting to tense, the door creaks and I suddenly feel a breeze on my backside. From my angle, I can't see the intruder's face but I know that my ass is in plain view. Katniss starts to lean out around me to see who it is, but I lock my arms around her. Thankfully, her body mostly protected by mine.

She lurches forward and I get tripped up in my pant legs, falling off the bed. I land hard on my knee, torqueing it a bit.

"Catnip?" the voice calls out.

**END OF PART II.**


	3. Chapter 3

Notes:

Many thanks to ClandestineClemintine, Court81981, and Fnur for pre-reading and beta work! Your encouragement, suggestions, and straight talk really helped improve this chapter, in my mind anyway :)

Thanks also to Suzanne Collins for creating such wonderful characters to play with.

Epilogue will be posted before this fic's 1st birthday on August 29, 2015.

…..

Katniss visibly tenses from my viewpoint on the floor. Fortunately for her, her skirt has flipped back down in the scuffle and is now covering most of her backside.

"Wait for me outside, Gale," Katniss says tersely. "And shut the damn door."

She scrambles off the bed and helps me up off the floor because I can't bear any weight on my bad knee.

We take a moment to straighten ourselves out, a little more for me as I struggle to balance and slide the waistband up my legs. She steps outside to talk to Gale.

"The door was cracked open – were you guys that careless? And that truck – it's like a beacon. It was more than easy to follow you two. You're lucky it was just me, and not John. He'd have your ass for real," Gale says.

I can hear every word through the cardboard-thin door. I imagine that it worked both ways and Gale could hear what he was barging in on. _Bastard_. He could have waited.

"Why are you here?" Katniss says.

"To warn you that he's on to you. And you can't hide the fact that you're fucking Peeta fucking Mellark from him forever."

"How did you….?"

"I ran into Bristel last weekend and she had no idea she was your little cover story for this bullshit," Gale says.

Okay, that's enough. I'm going out there too. I open the door and limp out into the parking lot. Katniss has her arms crossed and feet planted as Gale continues.

"I saw you getting out of his truck," Gale states while gesturing at me, "at the high school last Sunday evening. Your dad had asked me to check up on you, since you haven't been around much lately."

"I didn't think he was paying attention," she notes.

Gale stares her down. "Katniss, he notices everything. You've been different around the shop too – now I know why."

"The real question here is what are you going to tell him, Gale?" I ask.

"Nothing. That's for Katniss to share," Gale replies.

Katniss drops her shoulders in relief. "Thank you, Gale, for the heads up."

Wait, she's _thanking_ him?

"So I guess it wasn't going to work, then? With us?" Gale asks.

She's shaking her head before she can release the words. "No," she says as she side steps closer to me. "I tried to tell you that night at Sae's. You're not the one I would choose. I would survive just fine without you."

Her statement rockets through me. She's choosing _me_ over him. I reach out blindly for her hand and grasp it firmly.

"But him? You can't survive without him? Katniss, you've only been talking to him for what….two months? I know a lot can happen…"

Katniss shakes with anger. "Look, I can survive without either of you, but I choose him."

I've had it with this guy. "Look Gale, thanks for the early warning. We'll figure it out from here," I say.

"No, you're going to need me as an ally – especially if Katniss wants to hold on with to any future in the family business. We're going to have to figure out a way to work together," Gale says.

"That might be, but you need to leave. Now," I say.

"We'll talk tomorrow, Katniss," Gale says as he stalks off to his truck.

It's just barely noon as Katniss and I retreat into our room. She offers to grab some ice from the ice machine for my knee. Once we're back in the room and I'm leaned up against the headboard, I open up the picnic basket in case she's hungry. Katniss paces the threadbare carpet. I pick at my food.

"I thought I'd have more time. To figure out how to tell Dad. To point out his hypocrisy. To just….ugh…think this through," Katniss rambles.

"Did you mean it?" I interrupt with intrepidity. "About choosing me?" She stops pacing and draws close to me, kneeling down on the floor on the side of the bed and weaving her fingers through mine. 

Her pleading eyes and lower lip tucked under her teeth begin the story, but I need to hear the words.

"Yes, of course, Peeta. You're what I need," she says as she advances and draws my knuckles to her lips. "I'm not giving you up," she vows while pressing small kisses into the ridges of my hands. "I've been trying to figure out a way to tell you, too, and kind of hoped that I was just showing you with my actions," Katniss says, pushing up from the floor to lock her silver eyes on to me.

Relief and awe course through me. "Well…." I start with a grin, when she stops me with the lightest whisper of kiss.

"Peeta, I love you."

I think my heart stops but there isn't time to react any other way.

"I love you too," I tell her and pull her up the length of the bed with me. She rests her head on my shoulder and we spend the rest of the afternoon working out a plan. We're in this together.

…..

I take Katniss back to the car after deciding on a strategy for her dad and the family business. I'm able to make an appointment to see the doc that next week once I get back home too. Until I can get more clinical advice, though, I'm just going to keep applying ice and rest my knee.

I get over to the doc on my lunch break on Tuesday.

"That's a hell of a bruise, Peeta," the doc assesses. "However did you manage it?"

"I….uh….fell out of bed," I manage. It's not a lie; I did fall off a bed.

The doctor advises me to wear a knee brace for a week. My brothers make fun of me, but at least they're not bugging me about my mood anymore. The brace is hot and itchy and, all around, no good. I move with a slight limp around the bakery during the day and count the hours until I can rest at night. I've just landed in bed and stripped the offending neoprene off my leg when my phone pings. I swipe the home page open and Katniss' smirk appears on the window. It's the pic I was able to sneak the other week at the motel.

K: hey good news!

This could mean so many things, but I'll try for the obvious.

P: Have you smoothed things out with your dad?

I toss the phone down and reach for my bag of ice when my phone pings again. She must be pretty excited to be responding this quickly.

K: Haha no. I got my period.

Oh. I tap out a quick response, just for clarification.

P: And this is good news…how?

K: Well it's one less concern on my mind and I need that right now. Hey, I gotta go, talk to you later?

I close up my phone and lay back in bed for a while. Pregnancy. We have certainly risked it plenty of times over now by only relying on her taking the pill. I make a mental note to buy a box of condoms, assuming that we'll find another way to have alone time after this thing with her family.

The pinging of my phone alerts me to a new message while I'm lost in thought.

K: I'm going to do it, I just don't know when. I changed my mind and want you here though. Will you come here, to the store after closing, if it's a weekday? When I'm ready?

The bakery closes at 5pm, but it shouldn't be an issue to get over there.

P: Of course, as long as you're sure I won't get shot on sight.

K: Yes, I need you.

P: Okay then, hope your cramps aren't that bad.

K: They are terrible, but thanks. Goodnight, love you.

P: Goodnight, love you more.

A dopey smile spreads across my face. She loves me.

Tossing the phone on my bedside table, I lay back and find my previous thought trail. The future. I'm grateful and also optimistic for the future. If Katniss' dad allows it and doesn't see our relationship as a breach in family loyalty or an unforgiveable act for her to date outside the tribe, then maybe we can really do this. Maybe we could do it without his blessing too, though I know deep down Katniss will want that.

We were purposefully vague last Sunday when talking about the 'after,' since getting through to her dad is the most immediate hurdle we face. I let myself wander down the path of 'after', just for a little while. Maybe we can move in and finish school together. Maybe we can get married, down the line. Maybe, just maybe, we can have our own family one day and I'll never lecture our kids or their dates about loyalty. Later that night, my dreams center around our possible future.

I get more used to the knee brace as I trudge through the next two weeks. Between being more nervous than ever about getting caught and me sticking with minimal activity, Katniss and I skip out on our weekend dates at the Cavern Lodge. She keeps me informed via text but it's not enough. I miss her being around, even if it was only for one day a week. She's been going through the motions of being a loyal daughter, true to her father and the family business. Apparently, she's even managed to increase sales in the last two weeks.

I survive another long weekend without her. I breathe a deep sigh as I climb into bed, missing her even more by Sunday night. My eyes have just drifted shut when I hear my phone ping. Her face on the screen jolts me.

K: Open your window.

I don't need to be told twice as I fumble with the lock and swing open the pane. My parents were always so concerned with us getting down the latticework on the side of the bakery that I don't know if they had ever us considered climbing up it. She's managed to scurry up the side undetected so far, but I don't want to tempt fate.

I usher her to me and we fall back on to the bed in my cramped room, with her curled up at my side and the ice re-situated on my knee. Her braid tickles my nose.

"So, now that you've got up here, what are you going to do with me?" I ask as I breathe in the sweet jasmine of her shampoo.

She turns to me and rubs her temple to my forehead, "Something that can't get you hurt," she nuzzles her nose against mine and adds in a whisper, "like last time."

I kiss her and she sighs. A hearty, contented sigh that fills me with warmth and satisfaction, melting away anxieties from the last few weeks.

She lays out her plan for confronting her dad, interspersing her words with kisses. She wants to enter into a business arrangement with Gale and work as partners but not as man and wife. After all, their dads aren't married – and they made it work. She also wants to branch out, with archery lessons, into the high schools and college through NASP, like I showed her at the falls. She recognizes that her dad has taught her about loyalty her whole life, she just wants to apply it to herself – and he should be proud of her. She concludes her practice spiel but she's still thrumming with anxiety.

"Is there something else?" I ask and drop the melted bag of ice to the floor.

"Well, we were rudely interrupted the last time. And I'd like to finish what we started," she says as she swings her leg over to rest on top of me.

Caught off guard but never one to say 'no' to Katniss, I seal her proposition with a kiss. Her tongue probes my lips and ventures further until I have to peel back from her for breath. It feels so impossibly good to have her in my arms again that I know that I won't be able to be without her for long stretches of time.

As I break from her, I acknowledge, "We'll have to be really, really quiet. And my range of motion is somewhat limited with this knee brace."

Katniss scans her eyes up and down my body, her dark eyelashes fluttering while she sinks her teeth into her bottom lip.

"I'll just have to be on top, then," she assesses.

I want to bark out a laugh, but that would give us away to everyone else on the second floor. "Your favorite?" I ask.

"Hmmmm…I dunno," she teases. "Seems like we should have more time for me to pick a favorite, give each position a few more rounds before picking favorites and what not," she says with a glint in her eye.

My jaw drops wide open at the idea, and in an instant, her hand is there to lift it back up and scratch the few days' growth of scruff. She leans down to slant her mouth over mine in more unspoken promises.

My hands instantly dive for her hips, holding her to my rapidly swelling erection. She curls her body across mine, flexing her hips and rubbing me against her while our mouths stay fused. I ease one hand away to delve into her pants. I find her more than ready and my resulting groan causes her to pull away from me for a moment. I take the opportunity to taste my fingers. Damn.

She tries to rush out of her pants, pushing the waistband over her bare ass, but I slow her down to reduce any potential noise. I draw each of her legs out, skimming my fingers up and down her skin to awaken her senses. It's been a long few weeks without her, without this. I've missed the closeness, the intimacy of it all. She rises up to ease my own shorts down my legs. My eager erection slaps back up on my belly after the waistband clears it. She grabs me and positions herself directly over me. I am delirious with want for her, but I catch myself at the last minute.

"Condom," I sputter.

"Condom?" she asks and raises an eyebrow.

"Condoms from now on," I say, "just to be sure."

"Oh, um…where…?" she wonders aloud as she scans the room, still hovering over me.

"Closet, top right," I motion with my head to the door. She glides off of me and soundlessly pads over to the closet door. I'm rewarded with a perfect view of her legs and ass as she reaches up to the top shelf.

"I got them the other week and wasn't sure when we'd have a chance…and well, I wanted to hide them from my mom," I whisper across the room.

She returns with the box and crawls back atop of me. She peels open the box and grabs a square, handing it over to me. "Will it feel…different?" she asks in a low voice.

"Well, yeah, but if anything, I might last a little longer," I say as I rip open the foil and place the condom over my straining cock.

"I thought you were doing just fine," she adds with a small smile. She traces my ridges and veins through the thin latex and if I wasn't wearing it, I would probably lose it.

"It's slick," she gasps. "I guess I didn't expect it to be so slippery."

"It's supposed to help, but please, c'mere," I beg. She holds on to the head of my cock and tucks me into her. She releases a contented sigh into my neck as we finally reconnect.

"This, I've missed this," she breathes into my ear as she lifts up on my cock. I dip up into her with slow, measured thrusts, as to not rock the headboard or squeak the springs in my mattress. It's a different challenge to do this quietly. I'm encased by her legs, her ankles digging into my thighs. Her bounces are small and relaxed. I long to flip her, to pound away, though this leisurely pace is nice too.

She leans back and claps my hands in hers, our fingers threading together. She presses the heels of her palms into mine and rocks onto me harder. She sneaks her feet under my hips, propping them up for her to grind against and ride me. As she gets closer, she digs her teeth into her bottom lip hard to stay silent. I feel her body tense after a few more deep thrusts and her lip goes white against her teeth. She releases my hands and I reach for her hips to push up into her a few more times. I hold her in place as I feel myself let go and her reflexes kick in to squeeze me as I empty my load into the condom.

She eases off of me and I grab a few tissues from my bedside table for her. I roll up the condom into another tissue and drop it on the side of my bed. I reach for her to cuddle back into the warm space we created.

"So, when did you want to confront your dad? This week?" I inquire after we've caught our breath and put our pants back on, lest we be discovered.

"No, next Sunday. I need the week to hammer out details with Gale and to prep my mom and Prim," she says.

"How do you think your dad will handle it?" I ask.

"I don't know. Dad might recognize the situation as his own, or he might be blinded by his own pride and demented sense of loyalty," she supplies.

….

The first Sunday of August rolls around and I meet Katniss out front, as she's promised, and she leads me inside the shop. I've never been inside and my last memory of the parking lot is not a good one. Once across the threshold, I feel like I've stepped into an arena. I'm grateful that my knee is feeling better, in the event that I'll need a quick exit strategy.

As my eyes adjust to the low light, I'm immediately jolted by how big the interior seems, even though it's partitioned into different areas. It's a large warehouse, by my estimate nearly 30,000 square feet. The front third of the space is designated for retail, which I'm standing in right now. I'm surrounded by barrels of fluorescent-tipped arrows, while bows flanks the walls behind the counter – looks like an even mix of recurve and compound bows, with a few crossbows in the corner. The recurve bows are striking, even in this low light; obviously handcrafted with an eye for beauty. The compound bows look more militaristic in design, but adorned bright splashes of color in the strings and base. An autographed photo of Finnick Odair smiles down at me, mocking our current predicament.

We venturing further into the building, toward a shooting range and workshop in the back two-thirds of the space. I can hear someone in the workshop and the faint grinding of machinery. Katniss seems to be vibrating with nerves and anticipation. She stops to take three deep breaths; I know because I take them with her. I'm scared too. Mr. Everdeen has shown me no favors and we're about reveal our relationship to him. I don't have any lines in Katniss' script, but know that I'm going to jump in when needed. 

I'm surprised when she turns to face me and her lips descend upon mine quickly. The kiss is much too short, though I'm not too keen to make out here anyway.

"I love you," she says.

"I love you too," I return.

"Let's go, then," she adds as she grabs my hand to drag us further into the building.

"Daddy? Dad, do you have a minute?" she asks.

"Katniss? For you, honey, I have more than that," he says and stops short once he spies me as part of that equation. His olive complexion pales and his smile drops.

"Brought your friend back, I see," he adds, eyeing our clasped hands.

"Yes, you've met Peeta Mellark," she says and gestures to me. I can see him stiffen at the mention of my last name, as maybe a reminder to the story Katniss shared about the deep history between our families. His posture shifts from open to defensive with just a slight turn. Still, Katniss plows ahead in her speech.

"I wanted to tell you that Peeta and I are in a relationship now, a real one. We are in love with each other and therefore my future cannot be with Gale. I will find a way to work together as partners with Gale when the time is right and I'm out of school," she begins.

"Like hell you are! Does your mother know about this?" he asks and throws his hands on his hips.

"Yes, she does and she's on my side, Dad – she thought it would be better for us to talk to you about this alone," Katniss reasons as she tightens her grip on my hand.

"She did, hun? So now you're in love? You haven't been dating him very long, as I seem to recall the last time he was here, it wasn't even a date," he says with mock air quotes before running his hand through his coal dark hair.

I see my chance to contribute and support Katniss. "With all due respect to your feelings on loyalty and obligation – I've had a crush on Katniss forever so I'm not going anywhere without her. She's my one duty," I state as I put my arm around her.

"Young men always think like that. Well, what happens in a year to your….crush? In two years? In five? How do I know that you won't move on to someone else?" He directs this at me and then turns to Katniss, "How do you know he'll still be around?" he badgers.

"I won't move one to anyone else. I'm with Katniss as long as she'll have me," I say, still keeping my arm braced around her.

"You're not pregnant are you?" he asks Katniss.

"No, Dad. I'm not pregnant," she scoffs. "Peeta is in my life, though, and I want you and the rest of the family to know him too," she pleads.

"Well, you know well enough that 'Mellark' isn't an acceptable name around here, Katniss," he says coolly.

"Why, Dad? Because it's not a Lenape name? Because of Mom? Because of your ancient history? Because she was engaged to—" she says as she take one step towards him.

"BECAUSE HE'S NOT ONE OF US, KATNISS!" he yells.

Katniss and I have all but backed out of the workshop and into the store section with his ranting and barely have enough time to process his cruel words.

"And if you're with him, then you're not with us," he says.

"But Dad—"

"No, Katniss, my mind is set. Pack your things and leave with this boy if you are so determined to be with him. You'll see. You'll come back," John says.

Katniss grabs my hand and swiftly turns to leave the shop.

…..

Out of everywhere in town, I've never actually been to the Everdeen home. I've always had a vague recollection of where it is, but haven't driven by at odd hours or anything.

After her dad's cold dismissal, I followed Katniss home to gather things and to be there if she needed me. Once we arrive, she stalls going inside, punching out text messages to Bristel, and securing a place to stay for a few days, or until we can figure something out for our future. Katniss wasn't counting on her dad kicking her out and we certainly do not have a plan B in place. Thankfully, Bristel will let Katniss crash since Madge isn't in town.

Katniss' mom comes out of the house first with a knowing look and wraps one arm around each of us. Katniss melts into the embrace; her exchange with her father must have shaken her up more than I realized.

Her mother pulls me aside and extends her hand. "I don't think we've formally been introduced, I'm Nora Everdeen," she offers. Her blue eyes and blonde hair mirror my own features much like Katniss was a reflection of her father earlier.

"Mom…" Katniss exclaims.

"No, she's right. It's nice to meet you, Nora," I say as we shake hands as a matter of formality.

"Katniss' father is wrong. I know your father, Peeta, and the kind of man he would have raised. You have my support and I'll work on John," Nora says.

"Thank you, Nora. Katniss is my whole world," I say.

"I know. And you're hers and in such a short few weeks. Though I think it's been a long time coming, has it not?" she asks, giving me the impression that my secret crush has not been very well concealed over the years.

"Yes ma'am, I suppose so," I reply.

"Katniss thought she was being so clever, finding reason to go to wrestling matches, but I could hear the tone of her voice change whenever your name was mentioned,"Nora continues.

I'm sure the look on my face matches my astonishment, but Nora doesn't divulge any more.

"Well then, come on, let's help her pack up her stuff – keep up this act that she's actually leaving for John's benefit. He'll come around real quick when he realizes she's gone," she says.

We transfer a few suitcases full of clothes and other belongings, enough to leave an empty space. Prim watches in amazement, half sad and half in disbelief.

"You're not really moving out, are you, Katniss?" Prim asks as we load the last suitcase into Katniss' trunk.

"We'll see, Little Duck, we'll see," Katniss says as she hugs he goodbye and tucks her blouse into her skirt. It's something I've heard and seen Katniss do after years and years of observation, but being this close cements the moment in my head. I've been following Katniss' lead all day mechanically, without it setting in yet. Not only had Katniss chosen Gale over me, but over her family too. The weight of her—of our—decisions is incredibly heavy. The sense that it's temporary is floating around in my head, but as the last of Katniss' belongings are packed, it all feels very much real. I watch Katniss release Prim from their last embrace and she takes my hand to lead us out of her home and into our future.

…..

We drive out to the old train yard. We need somewhere to talk and plan. Katniss was so convinced that her father would side with her that any alternative would be unthinkable.

"What do you want to do now?" I ask.

She shrugs her shoulders at me and shakes her head.

"In the short term, you're set at Bristel's house….but the long term Katniss, you need a back up plan if your dad won't let you move back home," I say.

Katniss nods, but I think she must still be pretty overwhelmed to speak.

"Do you want to stay here, finish school, and see each other on weekends?" I try again.

Her head snaps up at me, "No."

"Okay good, me neither," I reply.

"We could move in together," she says finally.

_What?_ "Really?" I wonder aloud, "I mean, I had hoped we'd move in together eventually, but not this soon."

"I thought you'd want this," she says, shrinking away from me.

"I do, I do," I say as I pull her back to me," we'll have to figure out how and where and all that….but yeah, we could do it."

"Okay then, together?" she asks.

"Together," I echo.

…..

She sleeps at Bristel's but never seems to stop planning while I'm at work in the bakery. We come up with a new strategy hashed out over phone calls, internet research courtesy of the Tributeton Public Library, and text messages. Katniss will transfer her Tributeton Community College credits to the junior college near my school in Capitol City. We'll find a place to live together and both start with our business classes. Katniss even manages to set up an appointment for an interview with the NASP people the following Saturday morning. If she secures the position, she'll be able to teach archery as an extra-curricular credit to kids.

We leave town on Friday after I finish at the bakery, and make the drive to Capitol City.

"Remind me again why we're not taking my car? It's more economical, you see…." Katniss taunts.

"Because it would arouse my mother's suspicion if my car was in town all weekend and I wasn't here," I breathe out. The real reason is that I'm just not ready to deal with facing my own parents on this matter. Katniss' bravery gave me strength to do it. I just want to let things cool down and for us to have a solid plan before telling them.

"Okay, okay," she concedes. "We have a long list to knock out between housing, registration, and my NASP appointment."

"And what time is that?" I ask.

"Um…mid-afternoon sometime. I'll have to look at that email again to find out when and where," she says.

"Okay, so we start the morning at the student housing office, deal?" I offer.

"Deal. And then register, and then you'll go with me to my appointment?" she confirms.

We talk more about our options, and what she's been able to review online. It's apparent that she's more nervous about her job prospects while I'm worried about finding a place that will fit our budget. They go hand-in-hand, but we're both looking out for each other, protecting one another in our own little ways.

Checking into the campus lodging is different yet still as strange as it was back at the Cavern Lodge. The rooms are meant for visiting families so we get serious side-eye from the woman working the night desk.

I ring the desk bell and hear her growl as she slinks off her stool in the office. It looks like she was watching an old television set before we approached. I confirm our reservation with 'Tigris' as her name tag reads, and provide the appropriate credentials and cash. I can't help but feel wary about the woman's lack of sincere hospitality.

We finally get to our room and all but fall into bed. It's our first real night together but I think we're both too wound up for sex. I just want to hold her and let it sink in that this is still really happening.

Bright and early the next morning, we greet our escort, Effie Trinket, as her desk plate indicates. She's a brightly dressed woman that I've seen around a few times in the past couple of years helping students find apartments. Since I've been on campus and in the dorms, though, I haven't needed to deal with her directly.

"Welcome, welcome. I will be your escort and guide as we find you two lovebirds a home in Capitol City," Effie says.

"I've already bookmarked some places from what I could find online this week," Katniss continues, "but I'd like to be between both campuses and near to some green space." And a small smile breaks through her business-like demeanor.

I reach over and grab her hand, knowing this will be hard for her to start over and away from her family. I'm going to spend every moment possible letting her know that I appreciate her sacrifice.

"Good, good. Let's review your options, then, and see if I can lend you any more advice before we set off," Effie offers.

She takes us on a tour of apartments between the two campuses in Capitol City. Her services actually prove to be quite indispensable. We find a few one-bedroom apartments that we'll be able to afford with our combined savings from my bakery and her archery shop earnings, plus whatever Katniss' new salary through NASP ends up being—assuming she lands the job.

After leaving Effie, we grab a quick bite and navigate to Katniss' NASP appointment at the local elementary school. She's brought her recurve and compound bow for demonstrations, if necessary.

"Ms. Everdeen, I presume?" a tall man asks, upon us entering the school lobby.

"Yes, I'm Katniss – it's Tax, isn't it?" she returns as he gestures for her to follow him. She greets the rest of team and they usher her into the gymnasium for a private session.

I wait outside and pace the length of the hallway after I've read the NASP brochure about five times. At the opposite end there's a glass wall so that I can see the interior of the gym. Katniss appears to wrapping up the interview portion of the appointment and moving on to the demonstration. She reaches for her compound but ultimately grabs her recurve bow and quiver.

At first, she shoots at the standing targets, but it's clear that they offer no real challenge for her. Then the trainer starts throwing fake birds up the air for her to hit. I can hear the muffled praise coming from the trainers at the end of the gym. I've never seen here actually shoot for real, so this is a treat for me as well. They start to increase the number of decoys thrown in the air for her to two, three, and up to five at time. She's knocking all of them down, too. Once she's emptied her quiver, she's met with cheers and applause.

The gymnasium door opens from the inside and they're still clapping loudly and pride swells deep in my heart for her.

"Thank you for your consideration," Katniss says to the others upon her dismissal.

Once back in the truck, she shrieks with excitement. "Oh, Peeta! It was amazing! Did you see? I thought I saw you on the other side of the wall," she says.

"I did, I did – you blew them away!" I encourage.

"Well, I hope so, I mean…I feel like the interview was awkward and it's a big part of my job to be able to talk to kids, but then the demo went great – so I'm hopeful," she explains.

"When will you know?" I ask.

"They said they would call over the next few days," she replies.

Except it doesn't take a few days; they call during our dinner, which turns into a celebration. Katniss will work with the schools twice a week and a few weekend days of the month for tournaments.

"I guess we can call Victor's Village? And see if we can sign the lease tomorrow before heading home?" she asks.

"Yeah, I think they open the office at 10 on Sunday mornings. We'll get it worked out. Don't worry," I say.

"Thanks – yeah, there's just still too much going on. So many changes. I'm just trying to cross things off in my head," she adds.

"C'mon, then, let's finish dinner and go back to our room and rest," I say.

We get back to my campus and creep past Tigris to the elevator. We're exhausted from the day as we finally reach the room. We have just enough energy to strip down to our underwear and brush our teeth before climbing into bed. We fall asleep almost immediately.

I am awakened a few hours later by Katniss twitching beside me. She's emitting low, throaty wails as she begins to rock back and forth. I reach out to comfort her, hoping that's the right move, with this sleeping together thing being still pretty new to us. She stirs awake, and curls up in the fetal position.

"Oh, Peeta, thank god. It was a nightmare. It wasn't real," she whimpers.

"Not real," I echo and stroke her back. "I've got you, it was only a dream. What was it about?"

"My family," she says. "An accident took my dad and my sister. My mom then fell into a deep depression and I lost her too," she adds, still shaking. I quickly encase her in my arms, soothing her.

"It's because I left them, isn't it?" she asks in a small voice.

"Katniss, these are scary first steps, but they are our steps, to take together. Your dad will calm down. Your mom and sister are already on our side. There will be time for him to accept our relationship," I promise her.

We settle back into our nest of sheets and pillows. I place kisses on her shoulders to continue calm her. She snuggles back into my body. After a few minutes of more snuggling, she can probably feel me start to poke her. I can't help it. It's been a few weeks and with the extra stress of our situation, I haven't been taking matters into my own hands. She reaches behind her to take hold of my semi-hard cock, pulling it through the gap my shorts. Even blind to the visual cues, she knows my reactions well enough by now and I sense hers too. My palm skims her breasts, finding her nipples hardened. I reach down to her stomach and below to find her panties have begun to dampen.

Wordlessly, she shifts her hips, adjusts her underwear to the side, and pulls my tip to her entrance.

I move into her and slowly retreat. I push into her again and nibble at the crux of her neck and shoulders. She seems content with this slow pace, and we're not in any hurry after all. This is the slowest and gentlest I've ever been with her, even more so than the first time. She needs to know that I'll always be here for her. That's she always have me. I brush my fingers across her clit and feel the pleasurable groan in her chest.

"More," she whispers.

I maneuver my other hand between the mattress and her hip for leverage to stay in alignment while the other hand keeps her stimulated. She's bucking back harder into me now and I can feel her clamp down on me.

My eyes pop open when I feel my own orgasm building. "Shit, Katniss, no condom, I...I forgot," I grit through my teeth while I continue to pump into her.

"Peeta, I'm so close, don't pull out, just stay – it'll be fine, I need you," she struggles as she reaches back to cling to me.

"Katniss," I gasp, "you feel so good."

"Don't leave me. Keep, keep your hand there," she releases in little breaths. Her inner walls tug on me and I try to hold back until I can feel her entire body go rigid. I keep pushing through her tightened hold for a few thrusts before I'm pulled under myself. The rush of the day and the feel of her body are too much for me.

"I'm sorry I forgot—" I start.

"Shhh, it's fine. The timing is fine and I'm still on the pill," she explains.

"I know, I just wanted to keep you safe," I say. It's true, I do. We're in no position to start a family at this point when we're just beginning our life together.

She twists her face back to me and dots my eyes with kisses before saying, "With you, Peeta, I know I'm safe."

I smile and cradle her to me. I feel safe too.

We roll out of bed and get cleaned up before returning to sleep for a few more hours. We get lost in the luxury of sleeping together and stay in bed much later than usual. We drive home on Sunday afternoon, after signing the lease on the apartment in Victor Village.

"We'll need a bed, of course," Katniss smirks on the way home. "And new soft sheets. I want blue, too. No more white scratchy motel sheets for us," she says.

"Of course," I reply while my mind reels. We'll need to gather up furniture for our apartment. "We can check the Hob for a secondhand dining table, desk, and maybe a sofa. We'll work a new bed into the budget though," I promise.

"We'll make it work," she says and I agree.

She ends up spending most of the week tracking down items for us at bargain prices. Arranging deals with the shops to pick the stuff up in two weeks.

Katniss stays with Bristel for a week again in mid-August, the peak of the heat in the summer. I spend a lot of time thinking about how I'll tell my parents, about how this all started, and about where it goes from here. What I'm most excited to do is stop sneaking around town. I want to take our relationship public over the weekend but I want to ask Katniss first.

P: So I have something to ask you…

I give her a few minutes to reply.

K: Oh yeah?

P: Yeah, I'd like to ask you on a not-a-date-but-really-date-date.

K: You're silly.

I smile to myself and withhold the urge to send her an emoticon.

P: Is that a yes?

K: Well where are you going to take me?

P: Somewhere I can show you off.

K: Ah. Sae's then? Okay, I'll allow it.

P: I love you.

K: I love you too, good night.

We make quite the entrance at Sae's on Friday night, in full view of a glowering Gale and both of my brothers, all jaws dropped in disbelief – I'm not sure if it's seeing us together, or just Katniss. She looks incredible tonight, in a black sweater that hangs off her shoulders. She's left her hair down loose from its usual braid and has on a pair of earrings I haven't seen her wear before.

Gale approaches us, eyeing her up and down. I still don't like the way he looks at her. His demeanor is a few degrees above simmering too, I wonder if he didn't expect us to go through with it. They stand there, face-to-face, but not meeting each other's eyes from my viewpoint.

"I heard Loverboy didn't go over so well with the family," Gale finally says.

"Just Dad," she answers. "It's just Dad that cannot make peace with this," she clarifies.

"And me," Gale says and Kantiss draws away from him. "I could taken care of you. Been a better fit for the family," he continues.

"No Gale, this would have happened anyway. You and I are too similar and we wouldn't have made a good match," Katniss reasons.

"So, it's done then?" Gale asks, "You're really with him now?"

"Yes and we are moving away in two weeks to start business classes at Capitol City Community College," she supplies.

"That's a little fast, don't you think?" Gale asks.

"Well my options are limited here and I want to be with Peeta. Besides, I'm going to teach archery as well to school kids there. Once Peeta and I have graduated, you and I can put our management plan in motion before our dads retire."

Gale touches her cheek and leaves, just in time for Piers and Paul to step in front of Gale.

"Katniss, allow me to formerly introduce you to my brothers, Paul and Piers," I say. She smiles through the introductions while my brothers continue to pepper me with questions.

"Whoa man, how long has this been going on?" Paul asks.

"Mom's gonna flip out," Paul says. 

"You're not going to tell her, are you?" I ask.

"Hell no, man. That's all you. If someone else doesn't tell her first," Piers warns.

"I'll deal with it later," I say and steer away from them to an open table.

Over dinner, we decide to return to the falls on Sunday. "Hiking will be good for my cramps, anyway," she jokes.

"Cramps, hun? Well, I guess that knocks out my plans for later," I jibe back to her.

"Yep, I just want ice cream and maybe a movie. Can we do that instead?" she asks.

"Of course," I say.

…...

"I kinda liked it when it was just us," she admits about halfway down the trail the next morning.

"Just us?" I ask.

"Yeah, without all of these other opinions and questions" she adds.

"So, you don't like being open to others about us?" I tread carefully.

"No, it's just different," she continues. "I liked our private time better. I don't like sharing you with others," she explains.

"Well it won't be too long before it's only us," I remind her.

"Too true," she replies.

When we reach our regular spot, there's barely enough water to splash around in, let alone swim. We wade around for a little while to cool off and rest in the shade.

We enjoy our quiet time before our move and school kicks our lives into high gear.

Since being out with Katniss in town, I've been increasingly nervous each time I enter my own home. I draw out the task of coming home a little more and Sunday night is no different. I know my brothers won't tell on me, but who know about the other gossips in town. Maybe it won't be such a big deal to others. 

After I get home from dropping Katniss off at Bristel's house, I'm confronted by my parents before I can even reach the stairs.

"Is it true? That you've been out with that Lenape trash?" my mom fires off. The way she's wavering on the bottom step confirms that she's been into the bottle of white liquor Dad keeps stashed in the cupboard.

"Edith, stop," my dad says from the hallway.

I sigh and turn to face them, knowing that this was coming, and I'm grateful Katniss isn't here.

"First of all, you will not refer to my girlfriend with crude names, Mom. And yes, Katniss and I are in a relationship," I tell them and add, "and we're moving in together in Capitol City while we finish school."

"That's fast. Where you even going to tell us?" she snaps. "Or just wait for gossip to spread?"

"When have you ever noticed anything I've done anyway? I've been in love with Katniss most of my life. We finally started talking this summer and she's my girlfriend now. Furthermore, we're going to start a life together. Would it be so hard for you to be happy for me?" I yell.

"It wouldn't be, if it were any other girl," she gripes.

"You sound just like her father," I return.

"Well, maybe we're the only two with any sense between us," she says.

"Or maybe you're the only two that can't see what everyone else can clearly see," I spit back at her.

I'm met with a harsh glare from her and eyes of understanding from my father. They exchange a hard glance too when she clears her throat to speak again.

"Look, Peeta, we will continue to pay for school, but I won't allow one penny to support your new living arrangement," my mom says in disgust.

"I don't need you to, Mom, I have my savings," I say.

"Good," she replies and stomps up the stairs to slam her door shut.

My dad moves forward to rest his hand on my shoulder. "If you ever need help just call, Peeta. She'll come around," he says, but even I can't be sure of that.

I think there's a better chance of Katniss' dad changing his mind before my mother changes hers.

…

It rains all that week and business is slow at the bakery. I manage to avoid my mother while beginning to pack up my stuff. These late August summer rains have undoubtedly refilled the streams. I hope the water has reached Parachute Falls and our pool.

Katniss and I drive to the archery shop early Sunday morning, hoping to catch it unoccupied, for the kayak and gear. Katniss has to go inside for paddles and life vests, I follow close behind. I don't like being here again, but the lure of getting back on the water one more time is strong. We stop when we hear voices inside the building. We edge a little closer and it sounds like her parents talking in the workshop.

"John, you know Katniss and Peeta were seen out and about in town and no one is making a big deal about it. It's just two kids in love. Times have changed," Nora pleads with him. "She's older than we were when we decided to elope, and she's got a level head on her shoulders. She's going to think it through."

His deep sigh echoes throughout the building.

"You're right, Nora," floats in, in the smallest whisper.

"Besides, do you really want your pride to stand in the way of seeing her happy?" Nora asks.

Katniss motions for me to back up, but my heavy tread gives us away. I step back onto a creaking board and our position is given away in the store.

John takes his head out of his hands to make eye contact with Katniss. He calls out for us to come forward. He clears his throat, "Katniss, Peeta…I've reconsidered my opinion. Katniss can stay at home, but she needs to graduate first before she can move in with you," he says.

Katniss tries to interject, but he waves her off. "The last two weeks have put the fear of God in me, Katniss. You're growing up so fast. I know I won't see you every day but the radio silence from the last two weeks has been unbearable," he admits.

"Oh Dad, me too," Katniss says as she crosses the distance to hug him. I take a few steps closer but do not want to intrude on their reconciliation. "I'm so happy you've changed your mind. I need to tell you though, we've already signed a lease on our apartment together, in Capitol City," Katniss says.

John flinches at this news.

"I'm already registered for classes, and have a position with NASP for the schools close to our new home in Capitol City. This is what I want. I won't be far. I'll be ready to be Gale's business partner once I finish school, on my terms," Katniss says.

"Okay, Katniss," John concedes, "you win."

"Dad…it's not about winning. There are no winners," Katniss reasons, "Peeta and I love each other – just like you and mom do, and this is the way for us to be together while still achieving our goals."

John's face softens and he pulls her to him for another hug.

"I've seen the change in you over the last few months. You're absolutely radiant," he observes.

"Thanks, Dad – I am very happy," Katniss says and my own heart skips to see them embracing one another.

"Okay, will you please move back home for the short while before you leave town for school?" John asks.

"I can do that, Dad, but classes start at the end of August, so I won't be here for long," Katniss replies, "but for Prim, for you, I'll do it."

"Thank you, Katniss," he says as he visibly deflates, all of the fight leaving his system, "You two get out of here – I'm sure you didn't plan on spending all morning in the shop," John says.

"No sir," I say.

"Now c'mon, Peeta, you're taking my eldest away from me. You can call me 'John'," he says and I'm not quite sure if it's a joke or not, until Katniss and Nora start laughing.

"Okay, good. Well we gotta go pick up Prim, she stayed at Posy's last night," Nora says.

I take this as our sign to leave, with all of the pleasantries being dispensed.

…

We load the gear and boat before heading out to Parachute Falls. We grab some headlamps in case we need them to light the path back up the trail since we're getting a later start and want to spend as much time together as possible.

We have the rest of the day to ourselves. We plan a day-long picnic. We eat. We lie in the sun. I sketch while she weaves with vines dragged off of trees. No one bothers us. By late afternoon, we're lying in the boat, with her head in my lap. I tell her that I want to freeze this moment. Katniss has reconciled with her dad but her life has already been realigned with mine. I think about our lives together, living together, cooking together, even mundane tasks like grocery shopping. All of it.

The blue bow of the kayak is pointed towards the sunset, pointed towards our future.

…..


	4. Epilogue

Notes:

Many thanks to ClandestineClemintine, Court81981, Papofglengcoe, Sponsormusings, and Fnur for pre-reading and beta work all along the way! Your cheers of encouragement, helpful suggestions, and constructive critiques were all very much appreciated!

…..

We move in the very next weekend, filling our new apartment with secondhand furniture, save for the brand-new bed. We've emptied our cars and the rented trailer that carried everything to Capitol City. All boxes and items have been moved into the apartment. We just need to sort it all out.

"Hey, let's put the sheets on the bed," I suggest during a water break.

"What? No, we should unpack the kitchen, bathrooms, and clothes. Classes start tomorrow, Peeta," Katniss warns.

"Yeah, later though – let's make up our new bed with our new sheets," I tease.

She smirks at me and places her water bottle down, before walking into our bedroom. She pulls the sheets out and shakes them across the bare mattress.

"Do you like the color?" she asks.

"Oh yes, they are unmistakably blue, compared to all of the dingy white sheets we've been on," I continue as I help her tuck the flat sheet into hospital corners.

As soon as we have the new pillows stuffed into their new cases and the duvet straightened out, I scoop her up and toss her onto the middle on the mattress.

"Peeta!" she exclaims and giggles.

I reach down to peel off her athletic shorts and then stretch back up for her t-shirt, laving her stomach with kisses along the way. We're both hot, sweaty messes, but I don't mind the salty tang on her skin.

"Peeta, we just made this—" she starts before I cut her off with a searing kiss.

"Bed," I finish for her and dive back in for another kiss, teasing my tongue into her mouth, "and now we're going to make it ours," I vow.

I want to make love to her with my mouth before we shake the new bed without any reservations. I take a second to admire her flushed cheeks, tousled strands that have escaped her braid, and silver eyes that are burning bright for me.

She catches me staring and laughs, 'It's all right to keep kissing me anytime you feel like-"

I cut her off with another scorching kiss. The first few are bruising in intensity, but my lip grow more slack as we tangle on the bed. I brush a stray tendril away from her face, and then take the time to drag my finger from her forehead down the slope of her nose. I touch her swollen lower lip, rolling it to gently pry her lips apart.

She pulls my finger into her mouth to suck on it, coating it in saliva.

I resume my finger trail to her breasts, leaving behind a wet path.

She hums in appreciation.

I flick my tongue over her nipple before sucking it into my mouth.

She moans and arches her back.

I rid her of her underwear and she's laid out bare to me.

"Peeta...," she whines.

I dip down to inhale the headiness of her.

She grabs the sheets, twisting them in her fists in anticipation.

I tease her warm folds by tracing lines with my fingertips and then swirling my tongue.

She bucks into my face, her ass grazing my shoulder. "Ugh, take off your shirt, I want to feel your skin," Katniss says.

I strip off my t-shirt and continue to fuck her with my tongue and fingers. I latch on to her clit with my lips and curl my fingers deep within her.

Her body bows off the bed and her knuckles go white against the blue sheets. She cries out my name and the sound goes straight to my dick.

I keep my fingers bent inside her while her muscles finish pulsing around them.

She drops her body back to the bed and she releases a deep, sated sigh.

I untangle myself from her and make a beeline for my necessity bag across our bedroom. I step back to her, bringing the bag with me to pluck out a condom.

She rolls her spent body to the edge of the bed and reaches for me, "Here, let me help." She pulls my shorts and briefs down together on one effort while I stand next to the bed. My dark pink cock bobs at her eye level.

She licks her lips and takes me in her mouth. My cock glides past her teeth and I completely lose my train of thought. Everything is Katniss and nothing else matters. She brings her arm around to cup my ass and push me deeper into her mouth. The packet flits from my hands as my fingers dive into her hair. I thrust into the warmth of her mouth and am tempted to finish there. Her tongue massages my length while her lips keep me locked in place. She tugs me back into focus when she fondles my balls. I definitely need to get that condom on right now.

I ease out of her wet suction and rip open the foil square.

She places a sloppy kiss on my red tip, teasing the weeping slit with her tongue.

Her hands take over in rolling it down my cock and pinching the reservoir.

A moment passes between us. Even after all of the sex we've had up to this point, this is the first chance to be together under our own roof and on our own time.

Her eyes flicker to mine and I see a fire ignite in the depths of her grey irises. She's decided what she wants next.

She swings around to her perch on the bed on her knees and elbows, rubbing her rump against my cock.

I grasp her hips and slide into her. Once I'm all the way in, I feel the weight of the moment released in our guttural moans. There's comfort in knowing the door is locked and it will just be us. Even more so in knowing that when I pull all the way out and propel back into her, we'll be able to do this again and again here, together. That her cries and groans as I repeatedly fill her will echo around our walls as she clenches her own around me.

She bears down, pushing hard back into me, snapping my hips to meet hers in a dance we know well. I reach around to graze her clit, barely rubbing it before she starts releasing breathy moans and popping off my hip thrusts.

I concentrate on her, knowing that my own release is near. I focus on the curve of her lower back, the sweat dotted across her olive skin, and the quiet beat of her braid against her shoulder. Her forehead drops to the bed, and I feel her muscles squeezing me sequentially, head to base. The effect is instantaneous and I speed up my ministrations. Her moans are muffled and her hip continue to undulate into mine until I feel her tense completely. She comes with a whimper and I follow her a moment later. I fall to her side and cradle her back to me.

"We're really doing this together. Real or not real?" I whisper into her shoulder, between kisses.

"Real," she tells me.

We eventually christen every hard and soft surface in the apartment over the following weeks: the kitchen counter, the fridge, the dining room table, the couch – but our favorite is our very own bed.

The End

…..

This story is complete now and I hope you like it! Tell me what you think here or over on tumblr, I'm jennagill there too!


End file.
